When I cracked open a baked, packaged Toaster Strudel to see neon red ooze inside, I was almost afraid to taste it. After one bite of the greasy sweetness, I realized I should have listened to my fear. I pledged to make a version that had none of the oily, processed flavor, and the wondrous sour cherry made it possible.
Sour cherries have a woefully short growing season, so if you see them at the market or have the chance to pick them fresh at an orchard, grab as many as you can. Fresh cherry jam is nature distilled, but because it’s so hard to get your hands on the real thing, substituting another homemade fruit jam is more than acceptable.
YIELD: 6 strudels
TOTAL TIME: 1-1/2 hours if using premade jam, 2-1/2 hours if making jam from scratch
DIFFICULTY: 4
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: food processor, pastry or pizza cutter
CRUST
2 cups (8-1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
16 tablespoons (8 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup (4 ounces) light sour cream
1 large egg, lightly beaten
FILLING
1 (12-ounce) jar fruit jam of your choice, or 1-1/2 cups freshly made Sour Cherry Jam (recipe follows)
ICING
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces) powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons whole or reduced-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
MAKE THE CRUST:
Pulse the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor for 5 seconds. Add the butter and pulse in 3-second on/off turns just until partially incorporated, with pea-sized butter chunks throughout and a texture resembling moist cornmeal. Add the sour cream and process just until the dough starts to come together.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently press into a flattened round, then roll into an 8 by 10-inch rectangle. Fold into thirds as you’d fold a letter to fit into an envelope, folding one short end two-thirds of the way across the dough, then folding the remaining short end on top.
Rotate the folded rectangle 90 degrees, then re-roll into an 8 by 10-inch rectangle and repeat the process of folding into thirds. Wrap the folded dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
MAKE THE STRUDELS:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and cut it in half to make two rough squares. Refrigerate half of the dough while you roll the other half into a 10 by 12-inch rectangle. Use a pastry or pizza cutter to divide the rectangle into 6 (4 by 5-inch) pieces. Space the dough pieces evenly on the prepared baking sheets.
Place 2 tablespoons of jam in the center of each dough rectangle. Brush the dough edges with the beaten egg.
Working quickly, repeat the rolling and cutting process with the remaining half of the dough. Place a dough rectangle atop a filled rectangle on the baking sheets and press gently around the edges to seal.
Bake for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown and just crispy at the edges. Carefully drag the parchment paper with the cooked strudels onto 2 wire racks to cool for at least 15 minutes.
ICE THE STRUDELS:
While the strudels cook, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and lemon juice until a thick glaze forms. Add more milk a few drops a time until your desired consistency is reached.
To ice the strudels, fold open the edges of a small zip-top bag and fill the bag with the glaze. Seal the bag, pressing out the air, and snip open a small corner with scissors. Squeeze the glaze gently over the strudels, icing them to your taste.
Store the pies in the refrigerator or at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Baked, unfrosted toaster strudels can be frozen for up to 3 months; toast directly from the freezer or heat at 325°F for 5 minutes before icing the strudels.
YIELD: about 4 cups jam
2 pounds (about 4 cups) pitted sour cherries, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 (1-3/4-ounce) package Sure-Jell pectin
2-1/3 cups (16-1/3 ounces) granulated sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
Stir the cherries and pectin together in a wide, straight-sided saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced slightly.
Add the sugar and stir to dissolve completely. Return to a simmer and cook for 10 to 20 more minutes, until the liquid has thickened and begins to set.
Transfer to 4 clean 8-ounce jam jars and refrigerate, or process following standard water-bath canning instructions. The jam will keep for 3 months if refrigerated and for up to a year if water-bath canned.