->Cherry Strudel <-

Yield: 10 Servings

1 1/4 c sugar

1/2 c firmly packed light brown sugar

1 1/2 tb cornstarch

4 c pitted, tart, fresh or frozen cherries

1/3 c water

2 ts grated lemon or orange zest

1/2 ts vanilla or almond extract

1/4 ts ground allspice

1/8 ts ground cinnamon

8 sheets phyllo pastry

3 tb butter; melted

1 tb confectioner's sugar

To prepare filling, in a medium saucepan, mix together granulated

sugar, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Stir in cherries, water, lemon

zest, and vanilla. Cook over medium heat until bubbling and thickened.

Reduce heat to low, add allspice and cinnamon, and cook, stirring

occasionally, for 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Cool completely.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Grease baking sheet.

To prepare pastry, unfold sheets of phyllo so they lie flat. Stack

4 sheets on plastic wrap. Brush top sheet with

1 tablespoon melted

butter. Keep remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap and a damp

cloth to prevent them drying out.

Spread half filling along a short side of top pastry sheet. Starting

with short side and using plastic wrap as a guide, roll up pastry,

jelly-foll style. Fold ends under.

Place strudel, seam-side down, on prepared baking sheet. Brush

with 1/2 tablespoon melted butter. Repeat with remaining phyllo,

melted butter, and filling to make second strudel.

15 to 20 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a

wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Transfer strudels to a cutting

board to cool completely. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.