Easy Cherry Strudel with Filo Pastry
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A delicious and very simple fruit dessert that everybody can make in under an hour, throughout the year!
Author:
Recipe type: Fruit dessert
Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • For the filo pastry:
  • 8 oz. (1/2 package) of thin Filo pastry (I used Fillo Factory #4), thawed
  • 5 TBSP. butter, melted
  • 4 TBSP. finely ground almonds (or, almond flour)
  • 2 TBSP. plain, unseasoned bread crumbs
  • 1 TBSP. granulated sugar (or, vanilla sugar)
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • For the cherry filling:
  • 1 lb. frozen, pitted, dark, sweet cherries, thawed, with juices reserved (or, 1½ lbs. fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted)
  • 2 TBSP. corn starch
  • 2 TBSP. reserved cherry juice from the defrosted cherries (or, if using fresh cherries, use 2 TBSP. of water)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • -- pinch of salt
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1-2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • Topping:
  • --- powdered sugar (optional)
Instructions
  1. Prepare the filo dough. Remove the thawed filo package from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature on your counter.
  2. Make the filling. In a small bowl, mix the corn starch with 2 TBSP. of the reserved cherry juice to make a slurry and set aside. In a medium sauce pan, gently stir together the cherries, the ½ cup of sugar, a pinch of salt and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 6 minutes, or, until the cherries start to release their juices. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for another minute or so until the entire mixture comes to a boil. Allow the filling to boil for a minute while stirring gently. Remove from heat when it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Off heat, add the vanilla extract and set the filling mixture aside to cool.
  3. Preheat the oven. Turn on the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  4. Melt the butter. Melt the butter in a small, microwavable bowl. Allow it cool slightly.
  5. Layer the filo pastry. Remove 8 sheets of filo from the package and return the rest back to the refrigerator. In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, 1 TBSP. of granulated sugar and lemon zest. Keeping the stack of filo sheets covered so they don't dry out, place one filo sheet on a clean work surface and brush it with some of the melted butter. Top with a second filo sheet, brush it with some more butter and sprinkle this sheet with a third of the breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with a third sheet of filo and then a fourth one. Sprinkle another third of the breadcrumb mixture over the fourth sheet of filo. Then, continue with a 5th and a 6th sheet of filo, buttering each one as you go, and sprinkling the last third of the breadcrumbs over the sixth sheet of filo. Finally, add the last two buttered sheets of filo, to create a total of 8 layers of filo.
  6. Add the cherry filling. Spread the almond flour along one long side of the filo, about one inch in from edge and the sides of the filo stack. Spoon most of the cherry filling over the almond flour, reserving a few of the cherries and about 2 TBSP. of the cherry sauce.
  7. Form the strudel. Fold the short ends (as seen in the photo above) to form a 15"-long log. Brush some melted butter along those ends. Starting at the long-filled side, tightly roll up the filo. Place the filo strudel seam-side down on a baking sheet and brush with some melted butter. Using a sharp, serrated knife, score the top of the strudel through the filo, making eight, evenly spaced cuts. Be careful not to cut all the way through the filo dough.
  8. Bake. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the strudel until golden brown; about 25-30 minutes.
  9. Cool and slice. Allow the strudel cool slightly. Dust with some powdered sugar (optional) and, using a serrated knife, cut it at the score marks into eight pieces.
  10. Serve. Serve the strudel with some of the reserved cherries and cherry juice on the side.
Notes
-- The cherry filling can be made 3-4 days ahead of time. Store in the refrigerator until you need it.
-- This filling is excellent in other desserts as well, such as spooned over vanilla ice cream, a slice of buttery pound cake, or, over good Greek full-fat yoghurt, so you might want to make more just to have on hand!
-- The recipe calls for 1 lb. of frozen and pitted sweet cherries. If you are using fresh cherries, use a slightly bigger quantity, because you will still need to pit them before using. Depending on the variety, you might also need to cook them for a few minutes more to soften.
Recipe by Marilena's Kitchen at https://marilenaskitchen.com/easy-cherry-strudel-with-filo-pastry/