Almond-pear Strudel

Total Time: 24 hrs 40 mins Preparation Time: 24 hrs Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds, divided
• 5 -6 cups thinly sliced crisp pears (4 to 5 medium pears)
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon, rind of
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons melted butter or 4 tablespoons melted margarine, , divided
• 6 sheets phyllo dough (1/4 pound)
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• 2 spread almonds in shallow baking pan.
• 3 bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently; cool and cover.
• 4 place sliced pears in large microwavable container.
• 5 stir in lemon peel and lemon juice.
• 6 microwave at high 6 minutes or until tender; cool.
• 7 combine 1/3 cup sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in small bowl; cover.
• 8 cover pears and refrigerate overnight.
• 9 place butter in microwavable container.
• 10 microwave at high 20 seconds or until melted.
• 11 lay 2 sheets plastic wrap on work surface to make 20-inch square.
• 12 place 1 phyllo sheet in middle of plastic wrap.
• 13 (cover remaining phyllo dough with damp kitchen towel to prevent dough from drying out).
• 14 brush 1 teaspoon melted butter onto phyllo sheet.
• 15 place second phyllo sheet over first; brush with 1 teaspoon butter.
• 16 repeat layering with remaining sheets of phyllo.
• 17 cover with plastic wrap.
• 18 cover remaining butter.
• 19 refrigerate phyllo dough and butter overnight or up to 1 day.
• 20 preheat oven to 400°f.
• 21 drain reserved pears in colander.
• 22 toss pears with reserved sugar mixture and almond extract.
• 23 melt reserved butter.
• 24 uncover phyllo dough and spread pear mixture evenly over phyllo, leaving 3-inch strip on far long side.
• 25 sprinkle pear mixture with 1/4 cup toasted almonds.
• 26 brush strip with 2 teaspoons melted butter.
• 27 beginning at long side of phyllo opposite 3-inch strip, carefully roll up jelly-roll style, using plastic wrap to gently lift, forming strudel.
• 28 place strudel, seam-side down, onto buttered baking sheet.
• 29 brush top with 1 teaspoon butter.
• 30 bake 20 minutes or until deep golden.
• 31 brush again with 1 teaspoon butter.
• 32 combine remaining% cup toasted almonds with remaining butter; sprinkle on top of strudel.
• 33 sprinkle with remaining 1 teaspoon sugar.
• 34 bake an additional 5 minutes.
• 35 cool 10 minutes; sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.