SOUR CHERRY STRUDEL
Serves 4 to 6
INGREDIENTS
1 quart fresh sour cherries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup chopped almonds
8 sheets phyllo dough
1 ounce 70% dark chocolate
Powdered sugar for dusting
INSTRUCTIONS
Remove pits and stems from cherries. Rinse.
Combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch and almond extract in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring intermittently. Set aside to cool.
Place 2 phyllo sheets on cutting board and dry for 15 minutes. Crumble. Mix into cooled filling.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place 6 other sheets of phyllo on a cutting board. Brush one sheet with butter and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining sheets, layering buttered sheets one over the other on cookie sheet.
Spoon cherry filling on stacked sheets vertically, leaving a 3-inch border from the edge. Sprinkle with almonds. Turn top edge and bottom edge of phyllo sheets down to cover filling. Roll phyllo widthwise. Place roll on cookie sheet, seam side down.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until phyllo becomes golden.
Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.
Melt dark chocolate. Drizzle over strudel. Dust with powdered sugar.
