HOLIDAY CRANBERRY STRUDEL

Holiday Cranberry Strudel
(Yields 1 Strudel Serves 15)

Ingredients

2-½ pounds apple, peeled cut into 1-inch chunks (Granny Smith)
2 cups maple sugar
¼ cup lemon juice
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1 cup kumquats seeded, sliced
½ cup pomegranate seeds
¼ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons Calvados (optional)
¼ cup apricot jam
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2-tablespoon soft butter
1 homemade strudel dough
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1-tablespoon maple sugar
½ cup toasted breadcrumbs
½ cup melted butter

Method

1. Peel and slice apples and combine with lemon juice and one cup of maple sugar.
2. Combine fresh cranberries, orange juice, kumquats and 1 cup of maple sugar in saucepan. Bring to boil then simmer until the sauce has thickened but berries still retain their shape. Strain and cool mixture. Add Calvados to strained liquid and boil until it turns into thick syrup.
3. Gently combine apples, cranberries, apricot jam, pomegranate seeds and softened butter and add the reduced syrup.
4. Combine cinnamon, 1 tablespoon maple sugar and toasted breadcrumbs.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare strudel dough according to direction. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle it with toasted breadcrumbs.
6. Spoon apple cranberry mixture in a long even shape down topside of dough leaving 3 inches on top and on either side of the table. Using the tablecloth roll the dough over like a jellyroll, finish with seam side up. Carefully roll onto parchment lined sheet tray with seam side down. Brush top with melted butter, cut slits at an angle with sharp knife 2 inches apart.
7. Lower oven to 375 degrees. Bake strudel in middle of oven until golden brown and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. While baking and when done brush top of strudel with melted butter. Transfer to a rack and cool 30 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream