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plum strudel

Plum Strudel

This classic German dessert gets a makeover with blue plums, cardamom, walnuts and puff pastry.  Just add whipping cream!  Or ice cream if you have a hubby like mine!

Course Dessert
Cuisine German
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1 lb package of puff pastry , or 1 package of puff pastry (2 sheets)
  • 12 purple plums (if using the smaller blue prune plums, you will need more) , or 3 cups pitted and sliced (about 4 plums per cup)
  • 2 tsp cardamom
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 3 tbsp cane sugar
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (if the pieces seem large, chop them down further)
  • 3 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp cane sugar
  • 3 tbsp bread crumbs
  • 1 egg with 1tsp water beaten for brushing
  • 1 tbsp raw or turbinado sugar for garnishing
  • 2 tbsp almond slices for garnishing (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

  2. Slice and pit the plums. If they are larger, feel free to cut into quarters. You will need total 3 cups of sliced plums.

  3. Place them in a bowl and add cardamom, cinnamon, cane sugar, and flour. Set aside for 20 minutes so they can release the juices.
  4. In another bowl combine nuts, sugars, and bread crumbs. Set aside.
  5. Lay out a piece of parchment paper just larger than your largest baking sheet onto the counter. Place the pastry on the puff pastry Roll out the pastry into a 11X17 rectangle. Have it facing you with the short ends at the top and bottom
  6. Sprinkle the nut mixture on the pastry leaving about 1/2 inch at top and bottom. Top with the fruit. There should be about 3-4 inches on either side of the filling.
  7. Take a knife and cut slits on a downward angle from just before the filling to the outside edge, at about 1 inch intervals. Repeat on the other side.
  8. Taking one piece of the 'fringe' and draw it across and over the filling. Take the corresponding piece on the other side and draw it over and across the first piece. Keep repeating with each piece of the fringe on either side, till you have reached the bottom.
  9. Pinch the ends and tuck under.
  10. Transfer the entire piece of parchment over to the baking sheet. Depending on the size of your sheet, you may need to lay it on an angle to fit.
  11. Brush the top with egg wash. Sprinkle with raw sugar and almond slices (optional)
  12. Bake at 375F for 40-45 minutes until the crust gets nicely golden brown.

  13. Let cool slightly.  Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.  Or both!

Recipe Notes

If you can't find 1 lb puff pastry, then you can use two sheets of puff pastry. For each sheet of puff pastry rolled out to 9x13 inches, you will need 2 cups of filling. If this is the case, add another cup of sliced plums, and therefore another tbsp of sugar and flour, and another 1/2 tsp of cardamom and cinnamon. For the filling you will need to have another 1/4 cup of nuts, 1 tbsp of each sugar and 1 tbsp of the breadcrumbs