Posted by: Schmitty 11-05-99 2:20 AM
Pecan Strudel
Dough:
1/2 recipe Heavy Cream Flaky Pastry, Recipe Follows:
Pecan Filling:
3 ounces (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
8 ounces (2 cups) pecans, finely chopped to yield 2 cups
3 tablespoons unsifted all purpose flour
Egg Wash:
1 large egg
Pecan Filling:
Beat butter and sugar together in an electric mixer bowl until creamy.
Add egg and beat until creamy and smooth. Stir in pecans and flour.
Adjust rack to lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large cool baking sheet with parchment paper.
Remove dough from refrigerator. Divide in half, refrigerate one portion and set aside other for 10 minutes before rolling it.
In a small bowl, whisk egg until smooth.
On a lightly floured surface roll dough into a 12 x 6 x 1/16 inch thick rectangle. Using a ruler and pastry wheel, trim edges to measure approximately 12 inches long by 5 3/4 inches wide.
Lightly brush with egg wash.
Spoon half filling lengthwise down center of pastry to within 1/2 inch of edges on short ends.
With fingertips pat filling to shape it to resemble a sausage.
Lift one long side of dough lengthwise over filling. Lift other portion so pastry overlaps and press to seal. Press ends together to seal.
Gently transfer pastry to baking sheet, sealed seam side down.
With fingers, reshape pastry into a rectangular log about 12 inches long, 2 inches wide and 3/4 inch high.
Brush entire surface with egg wash.
With tines of a fork or tip of a paring knife, lightly score pastry with intersecting lines or shapes such as leaves for decorations. Repeat procedure for remaining dough and filling.
Set this pastry parallel to first one, about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Lift pastries on parchment paper from baking sheet to a wire rack to cool.
Transfer pastry rolls to a cutting board. Using a sharp knife cut them diagonally into 1/2 inch slices.
These are best eaten at room temperature same day as baked or freeze unsliced and undecorated, well wrapped in aluminum foil up to 1 week.
Pastry Heavy Creamy Flaky Pastry:
Dough:
2 cups unsifted all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter chilled & diced into small cubes
1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream chilled
Put flour and salt in 3 quart mixing bowl; stir to blend.
With pastry blender cut in butter until particles are size of small peas.
With fork, gradually stir in heavy cream until mixture comes together into cohesive dough. If it seems too dry to come together, you need not add more heavy cream. Just use your hands to press it again sides of bowl to form a cohesive mass.
On lightly floured board, roll dough to form 9 x 7 inch rectangle; fold in half to form a 4 1/2 x 7 inch rectangle.
Rotate dough 90 degrees and roll out again to 9 x 7 inch rectangle and again fold in half to form 4 1/2 x 7
inch rectangle.
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm and cold for at least 3 hours of up to 2 days; or freeze, well wrapped up to 1 week.