Sour Cherry Strudel

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Make the Hand-Pulled Strudel Dough through step 3 of the recipe . While the dough rests, prepare the fillings.

In a large bowl, mix ricotta, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and cinnamon. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and stir well. Prepare the Sour Cherry Filling.

If using fresh cherries, rinse, stem, and pit the fruit. Place the cherries in a large nonreactive saucepan, and add 3 cups sugar and the cinnamon stick; mix well. Bring the mixture to a boil over low heat, stir frequently, and skim off any froth.

When the mixture begins to boil, remove the cherries with a slotted spoon. Continue to cook the syrup until it reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. Skim off froth.

Add the cherries and their juice back to the syrup and continue cooking until the mixture again reaches 220 degrees. Remove from heat, and take out the cinnamon stick. Allow to cool to room temperature and drain.

Pull out dough on a floured tablecloth or sheet according to steps 4 and 5 of the Hand-Pulled Strudel Dough recipe.

Paint surface of the pulled-out dough with melted butter, saving a tablespoon to baste the outside of the strudel. Sprinkle dough with bread crumbs. Spread ricotta filling over about one-third of the dough with a rubber spatula. Sprinkle drained Sour Cherry Filling over the ricotta-cheese filling.

Beginning at one end, fold about 8 inches of the strudel dough over the fillings. Lift the tablecloth from that end, and roll the strudel into a tight cylinder, folding in the ends occasionally to create a seal. Line a jelly-roll pan with parchment paper, and butter the parchment. Roll the strudel from the tablecloth into the pan, and bend the strudel into a horseshoe shape.

Brush the outside of the strudel with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Poke a few holes in the top of the strudel with a fork. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the crust is crisp and deeply golden in color.

. Cool the strudel on a rack for about an hour or until it is just slightly warm. While still on the parchment, slide the strudel onto a large cutting board. Loosen it from the parchment by gently sliding a long knife or spatula underneath the strudel. Lightly dust strudel with confectionersÂ’ sugar, and serve.