Rhubarb Strudel

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup golden raisin
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 (1 lb) package phyllo pastry
• 3/4 cup crushed gingersnap cookie
• icing sugar or vanilla icing (to garnish)
• whipped cream, for serving

Recipe

• 1 cover rhubarb with boiling water and let stand for 30 seconds, then drain thoroughly.
• 2 combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts, raisins and orange peel in a medium bowl.
• 3 add the rhubarb and stir just enough to mix all of the ingredients.
• 4 prepare 2 15" x 10" cookie sheets by brushing them liberally with melted, unsalted butter.
• 5 stack 10 of the phyllo sheets between 2 slightly damp tea towels.
• 6 remove 1 sheet, recovering the rest; place it on a prepared cookie sheet and brush with melted butter.
• 7 sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of crushed gingersnaps evenly over the phyllo sheet.
• 8 top with a second phyllo sheet and repeat the process with the butter and gingersnaps.
• 9 repeat with 3 more sheets, brushing each with melted butter and sprinkling with crushed gingersnaps; 5 sheets make 1 strudel.
• 10 spread half of the rhubarb mixture in a 2" strip along the edge of one of the long sides of layered phyllo sheets.
• 11 roll up the pastry (all 5 layers) just enough to cover the rhubarb mixture.
• 12 if the edge has dried out a bit, brush with a small amount of melted butter to make the pastry more flexible.
• 13 to keep the filling in place, make a 1" fold along the top, bottom and remaining side of the pastry.
• 14 continue rolling up the strudel and arrange, seam side down, on a cookie sheet.
• 15 cover with a slightly damp cloth while making the second strudel.
• 16 repeat the entire process with the second strudel.
• 17 prick 4 holes along the top of each strudel.
• 18 bake the strudels in a preheated 375 degree f oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until crisp and evenly brown.
• 19 transfer to a wire rack and cool.
• 20 while the strudel is warm, not hot, sprinkle with icing sugar, or once strudel has cooled, drizzle your favourite vanilla icing over each roll.
• 21 serve warm or cold with whipped cream.