PEAR WALNUT STRUDEL BITES

These Spiced Pear Walnut Strudel Bites are perfect for any dessert platter. I love creating cakes. However,  I have to admit as the holidays march on, I favor making an array of bite-sized desserts for my guests.  They are especially perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a New Year’s celebration.

When creating a diverse dessert platter instead of entire cakes, I opt to create recipes that are quick to make. Since several are required, the quicker the recipe comes together, the better. Spiced Pear Walnut Strudel Bites are ridiculously simple to create. Even though there are several steps involved, they are all quick and easy.

The filling for this strudel dessert is simple. It contains ripe pear, toasted walnuts, golden raisins, sugar, lemon, and some spices. You need one sheet of puff pastry. Don’t go nuts. Storebought is fine.

For the strudel’s glaze, you can cut down on steps and time. Simply sprinkle them with powdered sugar after the pastry has cooled completely. No shame in your game for that. However, it is simple to whisk together powdered sugar with a few tablespoons of water or milk to create a snowy white glaze. This looks so pretty when drizzled over the tops.

However, for the glaze in this Spiced Pear Walnut Strudel Bites recipe, I opt to up the game a bit. Instead of water or milk, I chose a more flavorful boozy option and added pear brandy. Not many households have pear brandy at the ready. So to add alcohol to the glaze, for these, you don’t specifically need pear brandy. Check out what you have kicking around in your liquor cabinet. Vodka or vanilla-flavored vodka would do the job.

TIPS for Spiced Pear Walnut Strudel Bites:

1- Make the filling the night before. It needs to sit for 15 minutes before use. However, there is no harm in it marinating overnight. Just make sure you cover the bowl with plastic cling film and place it in the refrigerator.

2. Instead of bite-sized strudel pieces, make one large one. Leave the puff pastry sheet whole, spoon the filling down the middle and follow the instructions.

3. No time to make the glaze? No problem. Just dust the Spiced Pear Walnut Strudel Bites with powdered sugar when it has cooled completely.

Print

Spiced Pear Walnut Strudel Bites

Course Dessert

Cuisine German

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Rest Time 15 minutes

Servings 2 doz

Author Lora Wiley-Lennartz

Ingredients

• 1/4 C chopped walnuts
• 1 pear
• 1 T lemon juice
• 1 t lemon zest
• 1/4 C golden raisins
• 3 T sugar
• 1 T cinnamon
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1/4 t cloves
• 3 T butter
• 1 sheet puff pastry
• 2 T breadcrumbs
• 1 C Powdered sugar
• 1 T Pear liqueur
• 2 T water

Instructions

1. Toast walnuts in a naked skillet. Set aside.
2. Peel & core pear, cut into small pieces
3. Mix pear with cooled walnuts, lemon juice & zest, raisins, sugar & spices.
4. Let stand 15 minutes.
5. Melt the butter.
6. Preheat the oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Roll out the puff pastry into a long rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
8. Cut in half.
9. Brush both pieces with butter.
10. Sprinkle evenly each side with breadcrumbs.
11. Spread the spiced pear mixture.
12. Roll each strip up from the long side.
13. Place on baking sheets, seam side down.
14. Brush with butter.
15. Bake 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
16. Cut each log in half & carefully transfer to a baking rack.
17. Place over the parchment lines baking sheet.
18. Let cool completely.
19. Whisk together the powdered sugar, pear liqueur & water.
20. Pour glaze over the strudel.
21. When glaze has dried, cut into pieces, plate, & serve.

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