Chocolate Apricot Strudel Recipes

Steps:

• To make dough, combine flours, salt and all but 1 tablespoon sugar in mixer fitted with dough attachment and mix on medium speed. In a small bowl, stir yeast with one tablespoon warm water and reserved tablespoon sugar just until sugar and yeast have dissolved. Reduce mixer speed to low, add yeast mixture, milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat until dough is shiny and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add one stick butter by spoonfuls until thoroughly incorporated, then beat on low speed for about 5 minutes. When finished, dough should be silken and rich like very thick ice cream. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. When dough has doubled in size, after 2 hours, flour a cutting board and your hands. Then push dough down on board, cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight.
• To make filling, purée apricot preserves in a food processor until smooth. In a small bowl, combine cake crumbs, preserves and butter; mix until smooth. Set aside. Grate chocolate by hand in large holes of a box grater or in a food processor. If using a food processor, pulse into large chunks. Set aside.
• To make streusel topping, in a small bowl mix flour, sugar and cinnamon. Add cold butter and using your fingers, mix together until crumbly. Set aside.
• To assemble, line one Bundt pan or two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, not letting paper come more than 1 inch above top of pans. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle.
• Using a metal spatula, spread half the apricot filling over dough within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle with half the grated chocolate. Beginning with long side, roll dough up tightly and fold in ends. Twist babka lengthwise to create a spiral, holding one end of babka in each hand. Place twisted babka in half the prepared Bundt pan or in a loaf pan, pressing dough firmly into pan. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Brush babka top with melted butter and sprinkle with half the streusel. Repeat with second half of babka dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let loaves rise at room temperature until they reach top of pan or about doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Allow babka to cool for 30 minutes before cutting. Slice babka and serve.

Steps:

• TO PREPARE FILLING: Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, Microwave at high 1 1/2 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring after 45 seconds. Stir in dried apricots and ginger; cover. Microwave at high 3 minutes; let stand 5 minutes. Place apricot mixture in a food processor or blender; process until coarsely chopped, Spoon apricot mixture into bowl; cover and cool completely. Stir in 1/4 cup chips.
• TO ASSEMBLE: Preheat oven to 350°F Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface (cover remaining dough to keep from drying) lightly coat with cooking spray. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time, coat remaining 7 phyllo sheets with cooking spray, placing one on top of the other. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over phyllo, pressing gently to seal sheets together; discard plastic wrap.
• Spoon filling along 1 long edge of phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold over the short edges of phyllo to cover 2 inches of apricot mixture on each end.
• Starting at long edge with 2-inch border, roll up jelly-roll fashion, Do not roll tightly, or the strudel may split. (Strudel may be for frozen for up to five days at this point). Place strudel, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with baking spray. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until golden.
• Place 1/4 cup chips in a small heavy-duty zip-lock plasric bag,and seal. Submerge bag in very hot water until chips melt. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag; drizzle chocolate evenly over each of 8 dessert plates. Cut strudel diagonally into 16 slices using a serrated knife, dipped in hot water; arrange 2 slices over chocolate drizzle. Garnish each serving with diced apricot, if desired.

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the apricots, sugar and peel. Stir in orange juice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until juice is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature. Set aside 1 tablespoon nuts; toast remaining nuts. Stir into apricot mixture., Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush with butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of crumbs. Repeat with 5 more sheets of phyllo; brushing each layer with butter and sprinkling with crumbs. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.) , Carefully spread filling along one long edge to within 2 in. of edges. Fold the two short sides over filling. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. , Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Brush top with butter and score top lightly every 1-1/2 in. Sprinkle with reserved nuts. , Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Slice at scored marks.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degree celcius (180 degree for fan-forced).
• Grease oven tray.
• Combine apricots, sugar, cinnamon, sultanas and nuts in medium bowl.
• Stack pastry sheets, brushing each lightly with milk as you layer them.
• Spread apricot mix over pastry, leaving a 5cm space at edge of both short sides and 2cm at edge of one long side.
• Fold short sides over; starting from filled long side edge, roll strudel to enclose filling.
• Place seam side down on prepared tray.
• Bush strudel with remaining milk.
• Bake uncovered for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Dust strudel with icing sugar before serving, warm or cold, with icecream if desired.