Almond-Pear Strudel Recipe
🕒 Prep Time: 24 hours
🍽️ Cook Time: 40 minutes
⏲️ Total Time: 24 hours 40 minutes
🥧 Description: Indulge in the delightful fusion of sweet pears and crunchy almonds wrapped in flaky phyllo dough with this Almond-Pear Strudel recipe from lovewithrecipes.com. Perfect for dessert lovers, this recipe is ideal for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any weeknight treat.
🍽️ Recipe Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup almonds
- 5-6 ripe pears, sliced
- 1 lemon, zest of
- 1 lemon, juice of
- 1 cup sugar, divided
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 stick butter
- 2 tablespoons margarine
- 1 package phyllo dough
Instructions:
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Preheat Oven: Start by preheating your oven to 300°F (150°C).
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Toast Almonds: Spread the almonds evenly on a shallow baking pan. Toast in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Once done, set aside to cool and cover.
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Prepare Pears: In a large microwavable container, place the sliced pears. Add the lemon zest and lemon juice, then microwave on HIGH for 6 minutes or until tender. Allow the pears to cool.
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Prepare Sugar Mixture: In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup of sugar with the ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Cover the mixture and set aside.
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Marinate Pears: Sprinkle the prepared sugar mixture over the cooled pears. Cover the container and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld.
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Prepare Butter: Place the butter in a microwavable container and microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds or until melted. Set aside.
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Prepare Phyllo Dough: Lay two sheets of plastic wrap on your work surface to create a 20-inch square. Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the middle of the plastic wrap. To prevent drying, cover the remaining phyllo dough with a damp kitchen towel.
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Layer Phyllo Dough: Brush one teaspoon of melted butter onto the first phyllo sheet. Place another sheet of phyllo dough over the first one and brush with another teaspoon of butter. Repeat this process with the remaining phyllo sheets, creating layers. Cover the layered phyllo dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or up to 1 day.
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Assemble Strudel: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Drain the marinated pears in a colander, reserving the liquid. Toss the pears with the reserved sugar mixture and almond extract. Melt the reserved butter.
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Spread Pear Mixture: Uncover the phyllo dough and spread the pear mixture evenly over it, leaving a 3-inch strip on one long side. Sprinkle the pear mixture with 1/4 cup of toasted almonds.
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Roll Strudel: Brush the 3-inch strip with 2 teaspoons of melted butter. Starting from the long side opposite the 3-inch strip, carefully roll up the phyllo dough jelly-roll style, using the plastic wrap to gently lift and roll, forming the strudel.
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Bake Strudel: Place the rolled strudel, seam-side down, onto a buttered baking sheet. Brush the top with 1 teaspoon of butter. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until deep golden.
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Finish Baking: Brush the baked strudel again with 1 teaspoon of butter. Combine the remaining toasted almonds with the remaining butter and sprinkle over the top of the strudel. Sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of sugar. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.
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Cool and Serve: Allow the strudel to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Enjoy the delightful blend of flavors and textures in every bite of this Almond-Pear Strudel! Perfect for any occasion, this dessert will surely become a favorite among family and friends.