STRUDEL WITH PEARS AND CHOCOLATE

Strudel is a typical Austrian sweet of Byzantine origin. In Italy is typical in the regions neighboring Austria, especially in Trentino South Tyrol. The original strudel ingredients are apples, raisin and pine nuts, wrapped into a thin pastry dusted with powdered sugar. Today I propose you an original version of strudel, stuffed with pears, chocolate, pine nuts and caramel. Even the dough is made of cocoa to obtain an explosion of flavor!

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DOUGH

• 1^½ cup (180 gr) all-purpose flour
• 3.5 tbsp (25 gr) cocoa powder
• 2 large egg
• 4 tbsp (50 gr) unsalted butter
• 5-6 tbsp (70-80 ml) water
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 pinch macis powder
• 2 dashes table salt
• To taste powdered sugar

FILLING

• 6 pears
• 1/5 cup (40 gr) granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup (45 gr) pine nuts
• 1/4 cup(40 gr)  raisin
• 1 (100 gr) 70% cocoa dark chocolate bar
• 5-6 tbsp (70-80 ml) water
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 pinch macis powder

first steps

Pre-heat the oven to 395° F.

Cut lengthwise 3 pears without peeling into slices thick about ¼ inch. Reduce the slices of pear pieces about ¾ inch side. Now, grate the other three pears, still without peeling them. Finally, put the raisins in a cup of water.

the dough

Knead the flour with the cocoa powder, the granulated sugar, the cinnamon powder, 1 pinch of mace powder, 2 dashed of table salt, 1 egg and the cold butter diced into small pieces . While working the ingredients, add the water gradually to obtain a smooth texture and slightly moist dough. Now, form a regular ball, envelop in plastic wrap and let stand in the refrigerator at least 1 hour.

CARAMEL AND PINE NUTS

Melt 1/5 cup of granulated sugar in a pan over medium heat without stirring, until the sugar is caramelized. As soon as we got the caramel, add the pine nuts and mix with a wooden spatula to glaze them in all their parts, and let them cook for 2-3 minutes.

PEars, raisin and other spices

Just when the pine nuts are well glazed, add into the pan both the grated and the cut-into-pieces pears in the pan. Mix well, and raise the flame, then add the raisin well squeezed, the seeds of the vanilla bean and the other spices. When the mixture has lost almost all liquids and is well mixed, turn off the heat and let cool.

prepare the STRUDEL

When the caramel and pears has reached room temperature, add the chocolate bar coarsely cut with a knife.

Now, gently stretch the dough on a floured cutting board being careful that it does not stick too; turn around and dust with flour the dough frequently, working it with a rolling pin and a spatula (you have to work quickly measuring out the strength and the flour, not to ruin the dough). When the dough has reached a thickness of about 1 mm (more or less the thickness of a coin), and a form tending to rectangular,  spread the filling leaving free sides (at least 1 inch for the major sides and 2 inch for the smaller ones). Again, with the help of the spatula rolled up the strudel and curve back under the roll the minor sides. Transfer the strudel on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, brush the strudel with a beaten egg yolk and bake for 50 minutes at 395° F.

ITALIAN LEMON SEMIFREDDO covered with meringues

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