The solution: Part of the answer to this challenge, he discovered, was sour cream. The acid in sour cream takes the place of the lemon juice in traditional strudel and promotes tenderness by slowing gluten formation in the flour. It also adds wonderful flavor. He also supplemented chilled butter with shortening, which boosts flakiness. After the dough has been formed, two quick turns increase flakiness by creating more layers. While Sax's pastry may not be quite as flaky as strudel dough or phyllo, it is much more durable. Traditional strudel dough often tears during the long stretching process. In addition, once it is baked, it can never be rewarmed. Sax's sour cream pastry, on the other hand, is quite forgiving and even stands reheating and serving several hours after baking.

PEAR AND DRIED FRUIT STRUDEL

Serves 12

Sax chooses to moisten the dried fruit in the filling with clear pear brandy but regular brandy or dark rum can be substituted. Serve the strudel warm. (It can be baked several hours in advance and reheated in the oven for a few minutes, if desired.) Lay slices in a small pool of chilled pear brandy custard sauce.

Sour Cream Flaky Pastry Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/4 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut in pieces
1/4 cup sour cream

Pear and Dried Fruit Filling
3/4 cup golden raisins
2/3 cup chopped pitted prunes
2/3 cup chopped pitted dates
1/2 cup dried currants
2 tablespoons grated zest from 1 orange
1 tablespoon grated zest and 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
1/3 cup poire eau-de-vie (pear brandy), other brandy, or dark rum
2 large firm, ripe pears (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons honey
3 gingersnaps, coarsely crumbled (use 4 if pears are very juicy)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon cream or milk
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

1. For the dough, mix flour, sugar, and salt in food processor fitted with steel blade. Add butter; pulse 5 times. Add shortening; pulse until butter bits are no larger than small peas and flour resembles cornmeal, about 4 more pulses. Mix sour cream with 1/3 cup cold water; add to flour mixture. Pulse until dough begins to clump, adding more water, 1 teaspoonful at a time, if dough does not start to come together.

2. Gather dough together and transfer to lightly floured surface; turn pastry. Wrap folded dough in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 6 weeks.)

3. For the filling, combine dried fruits and citrus zests in large bowl. Pour brandy over fruit and stir to combine. Set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

4. Toss lemon juice with pears to prevent browning. Add pears to dried fruit mixture along with honey, gingersnaps, and spices. Stir gently to combine.

5. To assemble the strudel, roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to form a 14-by-16-inch rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Trim off rough edges. Divide rectangle in half, forming two 14-by-8-inch rectangles. Working with one rectangle at a time, brush short edges lightly with cold water. Spoon half of filling in a narrow strip down center of rectangle, leaving about 2 inches uncovered at short ends.

6. Fold one long side of pastry up and over filling. Brush upper edge lightly with cold water, then bring other side up, overlapping slightly; press gently to seal. With sides of your palms, press filling toward center to keep it compact. Trim off ends of pastry if necessary, leaving about 1 1/2-inches at each end. Bring ends of pastry up and press gently onto top surface.

7. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Place a baking sheet covered with parchment next to pastry. Gently ease strudel, seam side down, onto sheet. Repeat process with other strudel, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Chill briefly while oven preheats.

8. Brush strudels with cream, then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until pastry is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Cool strudels on baking sheet set on a wire rack until no longer hot. (Strudel can be baked up to 3 hours before needed and warmed at serving time.)

9. To serve, dust with confectioners’ sugar and cut into 2-inch slices. Place slices on plates and surround with 2 to 3 tablespoons of Pear Brandy Custard Sauce.

PEAR BRANDY CUSTARD SAUCE

Makes 2 1/2 cups

If you have time, steep vanilla beans in hot milk for one hour. Return milk to a simmer when ready to proceed with step 2.

2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise but attached at one end, or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar
5 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons poire eau-de-vie (pear brandy), other brandy, or dark rum

1. Bring milk, vanilla bean (if using), and a tablespoon or so of the sugar to simmer in heavy saucepan.

2. Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar to blend. Gradually whisk half of the hot milk into egg mixture. Return mixture to saucepan; reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until custard thickens enough to coat back of spoon, about 7 minutes. Do not boil.

3. Immediately pour custard through a fine sieve into clean mixing bowl. Scrape seeds of vanilla bean into sauce or add vanilla extract; stir in brandy. Put plastic wrap directly onto custard surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool custard, then refrigerate until well chilled. (Can be refrigerated overnight.)

September, 1994
Original article and recipes by Jack Bishop

 
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