Description:

Delicious little pastries similar to strudel with a variety of tasty fillings.

Source:

susanm

Serves/Makes:36 individual pastries

Ingredients

• Pastry:
• 2 packages active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) sugar
• dash cardamom
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup (225 ml) milk
• 3-1/2 cups (825 ml) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 lb (.2 kg). butter, softened
• Poppyseed Filling:
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) poppy seeds
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp (5 ml) orange peel
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) sugar
• 1/4 c bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) honey
• Raspberry Filling:
• 1 10 oz (280 grm). package frozen raspberries
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) sugar
• 1/8 tsp (1 ml) cardamom
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) almond extract
• 2 tsp (10 ml) cornstarch
• Apricot Filling:
• 1 8 oz (224 grm). package dried apricots, cooked and mashed
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) sugar
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) cardamom

Preparation

• Pastry:
• Dissolve yeast in water then add sugar, cardamom, egg and milk.
• Stir in flour to make a soft dough (add extra flour if too soft).
• Roll out on a floured board to a 14 inch square.
• Spread one half of the butter over center third of dough.
• Fold one side over butter, then fold other side over first side, making three layers.
• Give dough a quarter turn and roll out to a 14 inch square again.
• Spread remaining butter over center and fold once more as directed above.
• Chill 1 hour.
• Turn, roll, fold and turn dough three times and again chill 1 hour.
• Roll dough to an 1/8 inch thickness and cut into 4 inch squares.
• Put 1 tbsp (15 ml) filling in center of pastry, fold in half and seal edges.
• Cut 3 or 4 diagonal slashes across the top of each pastry.
• Chill 2 hours.
• Bake in 350 degree (175 C.) oven 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• Poppyseed Filling:
• Add poppy seeds to milk and bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.
• Drain and combine poppy seeds with remaining ingredients.
• Raspberry Filling:
• Combine all ingredients and cook, stirring until slightly thickened.
• Cool.
• Apricot Filling:
• Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Comments

Each filling recipe makes emough for about 18 pastries. Make a glaze of powdered sugar and a little water to drizzle on the cooled pastries. If you haven't got time to make fillings, there are commercial ones in many markets sold under the brand name of "Solo". Solo almond filling happens to be my favorite and you end up with a pastry much like a bear claw. This is the closest recipe to strudel that I have personally made.

If you haven't got time to make the pastry you can use prepared puff pastry from the grocery store.