Apple Strudel
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 cup boiling water
2 Fuji apples (about 1 1/4 pounds total), cored and chopped
1/4 cup sweetener
3 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for dusting
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8 sheets phyllo dough
nonstick cooking spray, as needed
1. Heat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with nonstick foil or coat with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine cranberries and water. Let stand 5 minutes, then drain.
2. In a large bowl, combine apples, softened cranberries, sweetener, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss until combined. Unroll phyllo dough on work surface; cover with damp towel. Separate 1 sheet and place on clean surface. Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray and dust with a little ground cinnamon.
3. Place another sheet on top; coat with spray and dust with cinnamon. Repeat 6 more times, coating each with spray and dusting with cinnamon. Spoon filling along a long side of phyllo, 3" in from edge, leaving 1" at either end.
4. Fold both short sides (ends) over filling. Fold 3" wide long strip over filling; roll up, jelly roll style. Place, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet. Spray with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with cinnamon.
5. Bake for 35 minutes, until nicely browned. Let cool on rack for at least 20 minutes. Slice with a serrated knife; best served the same day.
SO HOW'D IT GO?
I had some leftover phyllo dough and apples, so I made this this afternoon, and it turned out deeelicious. I didn't see until afterwards that I was supposed to put cinnamon between each sheet, but it was still great. I'm a bit of a spice junkie, so I added significantly more cinnamon and nutmeg than it called for, and I also added some lemon juice. It only took a little over 20 minutes to bake, so make sure to keep an eye on it. It came together quick and easy, tastes delicious, and is pretty healthy for a dessert. Definitely a keeper!