The flavor of pears pairs extremely well with cocoa, this combination of ingredients is used in many pastries including strudel variations. The simple approach, utilized by many, is to stuff the strudel pears and chocolate chips inside, another less common approach is to stuff the strudel with pears and then cover the wrap with cocoa powder, like the top layer of a tiramisù. My strudel recipe attempts to create something more aesthetically unique by turning the wrap itself into the cocoa-infused element. Furthermore, instead of using just cinnamon, I use my koekkruiden mix to impart a more complex flavor.
For the wrap:
- 25g cocoa powder
- 125g strong flour
- 1 large egg
- 15g butter
- 30g milk, or more, depending on the flour used
For the filling:
- 500g pears
- 60g brown sugar
- 50g butter
- 50g bread crumbs
- Zest of one lemon
- 1 teaspoon of koekkruiden
For the glazing:
Procedure:
- Prepare the wrap by mixing cocoa powder, flour, egg, milk and softened butter, knead intensely to develop a strong gluten structure
- Wrap the dough ball in plastic foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, this way the gluten will relax and it will become easier to flatten the ball to a thin layer
- Peel the pears and cut them in pieces of about 5mm in thickness
- In a bowl mix the pear pieces with sugar, lemon zest and koekkruiden
- In a hot carbon steel pan, toast the bread crumbs with butter, then wait until they’re back to room temperature. The breadcrumbs serve the purpose of absorbing some of the moisture released by the pears during the cooking process
- Now flatten the wrap and spread the toasted bread crumbs on one side, which will be the inside of the strudel
- Lay the pears on the bread crumbs and close the wrap
- With a brush, coat the outside of the strudel with butter
- Bake 180 degrees for about 50 minutes
The dark color of the wrap of this strudel definitely stands out, do enjoy making people guess what it is before slicing it open