Chocolate Cherry Strudel

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1/3 cup amaretto or 1/3 cup cherry liquor
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 1 tablespoon crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 8 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
• butter-flavored cooking spray
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Recipe

• 1 microwave: to prepare filling, combine first liquor, water and sugar in a medium bowl. microwave at high 1 1/2 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring after 45 seconds. stir in dried cherries and ginger, cover with plastic wrap and microwave an additional 3 minutes on high. let stand for 5 minutes to allow fruit to absorb the liquid. spoon fruit mixture into bowl, cover and cool completely.
• 2 stovetop: in a small saucepan, combine liquor, water and sugar and heat until sugar crystals dissolve. add dried cherries and ginger to the pan and cook until cherries absorb most of the liquid and plump (approximately 5-10 minutes with low heat). spoon fruit mixture into bowl, cover and cool completely.
• 3 preheat oven to 350°f
• 4 to assemble the strudel, 1/4 cup chips into the cherries.
• 5 place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface, covering remaining dough to keep from drying. lightly coat with butter-flavored cooking spray. working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time, repeat this process with the 7 remaining phyllo sheets with cooking spray, placing one on top of the other. place a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper over phyllo, pressing gently to seal sheets together; discard plastic wrap.
• 6 spoon filling along 1 long edge of phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. fold over the short edges of phyllo to cover 2 inches of apricot mixture on each end. starting at long edge with 2-inch border, roll up jelly-roll fashion. do not roll tightly, or the strudel may split.
• 7 place strudel, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. score 7 diagonal slits into top of strudel using a sharp knife. lightly spray strudel with cooking spray.
• 8 bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
• 9 place 1/4 cup chips in a small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag, and seal. submerge bag in very hot water until chips melt. snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag; drizzle chocolate over the baked strudel.