Pear strudel recipe

Using filo pastry is a fantastic way to reduce the calories of a rich pastry dessert. The paper-thin translucent sheets are commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine and sheets are often layered up for extra support. This strudel is a classic dessert, more commonly made with apples, which can be made for only a few pounds. Serve it with pouring cream, piping hot custard or cool vanilla ice-cream.

Ingredients

• 1tsp ground mixed spice
• 1kg ripe dessert pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 50g sultanas
• 75g light muscovado sugar
• 9 sheets filo pastry
• 1 medium egg white, lightly beaten
• 1tbsp icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Fan 170°C/Gas Mark 5. Unroll the pastry, but keep well wrapped in clingfilm to avoid drying out. Place 3 sheets, slightly overlapping, on a work surface, and brush with a little egg white. Cover with another 3 overlapping sheets, brush again with the egg white, then repeat a final time.
2. In a bowl, toss the pears and sultanas in the sugar and spice. Scatter the mixture onto the pastry, and then fold up the 2 shorter ends before gently rolling the pastry over to form a large long roll.
3. Transfer to a greased baking tray, brush the top with remaining egg white and bake for 35-40mins until golden and puffed up.
4. Transfer to a large plate and dust with icing sugar before serving.