Description
With a filling that blends raisins and two creamy cheeses with an almond crunch, these flaky-crusted strudels will lend a sweet and refined finale to your next dinner gathering.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 cups mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 vanilla bean, scraped and split in half lengthwise
- 1/4 cup dark raisins
- 1/2 grated orange peel
- 1/2 grated lemon peel
- 1/4 cup flour
- 40 sheets Athens Phyllo Dough (9 x 14 ), thawed
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup almonds, ground
- Vanilla sauce or ice cream, for topping
- Powdered sugar to dust
Directions
In large bowl, whip 2 tablespoons of sugar with butter at high speed for 5 minutes. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating after each yolk. Gently stir in cheeses. Fold in vanilla scrapings, raisins, lemon and orange peels.
In grease-free, medium bowl, with clean beaters, whip egg whites on high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold into cheese mixture. Carefully fold in flour. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
To prepare rolls, use 10 sheets of Phyllo per roll, sprinkling ground almonds between layers. Place 1/4 cup of filling on the bottom edge of the wide end of the sheets. Roll up and place seam side down in a buttered pan. Butter top of the roll. Repeat process to make a total of 4 rolls.
Bake in preheated 3501/4F oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Prepare Egg Custard. Pour custard over strudels and bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes. Strudels will absorb custard. Cool for 5 minutes after removing from oven.
Dust with powdered sugar, cut strudels and serve with your favorite vanilla sauce or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
