Pear & Apple Strudel served with a Raspberry Compote and English Custard

By Shona from Amandine

INTRODUCTION

A warm and comforting dessert perfect for Sundays and cold autumnal nights.

SERVES 10

INGREDIENTS

Strudel 3 pears peeled, cored and cut into small even cubes PHOTOGRAPH HERE IF YOU HAVE ONE 2 apples peeled, cored and cut into small even cubes 150g soaked raisons (soaked for half an hour in apple Juice) 200g ground almonds 250g melted butter 10 sheets of filo pastry Zest of 1 orange 1 teaspoon cinnamon 50g brown sugar 50g caster sugar

Raspberry Compote 500g frozen raspberries 50g caster sugar

English Custard 250ml full-fat milk 250ml double cream 50g caster sugar 1 – 2 vanilla pods 6 egg yolks

METHOD

Strudel Place raisins in a bowl and cover with apple juice. Leave for half an hour.

Preheat your oven to 200 ˚C

Sauté the cubed apples and pears in a dry hot pan with the sugars and spices until they have a golden colour. Leave to rest.

Meanwhile grate the orange zest and drain the raisins.

Mix the apples & pears with the zest and raisons.

Lay a sheet of filo pastry flat and sprinkle with flaked almonds and sugar. Place a small amount of the pear and apple mixture in the centre of the sheet and fold the filo sheets lengthways over the filling so that meet. Then fold the short edges over the top, and roll. With each layer brush with melted butter and add sugar and ground almonds.

Place on baking sheet on an ovenproof tray. Once you have made your strudels place in the oven till golden (approx. 25-30 mins), turning occasionally if necessary.

Raspberry Compote Add frozen raspberries to dry hot pan and as soon as they start to melt, add sugar – doing so at this stage ensures the fruit keeps its tartness. The compote is ready once the raspberries are fully defrosted.

English Custard Put milk and cream into a saucepan with 1 tablespoon of the sugar (helps to stop it boiling over).

Scrape seeds from vanilla and add them to the pan with the pods. Bring slowly to the boil.

In a large bowl, beat yolks and remaining sugar with whisk until pale and creamy.

When milk and cream mix is almost at the point of boiling, Pour about a third of this onto the egg mixture, whisking well.

Turn the pan down to a very low heat and return this to the milk and cream mix in the pan, always stirring. Cook over a very low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until it thickens slightly.

Remove pan from heat and strain the custard through a fine sieve into a chilled bowl. Cover and allow to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin forming.