Dried Fruit Strudels

Ingredients

• 1 cup apricot preserves 
• 0.3 cup apricot brandy 
• 0.5 cup butter melted
• 0.8 cup apricots dried coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 
• 0.5 cup orange juice 
• 12 sheets phyllo pastry 
• 0.5 cup pistachios coarsely chopped
• 0.8 cup prune- cut to pieces pitted coarsely chopped
• 0.5 cup sugar divided
• 6 ounce cranberries dried sweetened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 0.5 cup walnuts toasted coarsely chopped

Equipment

• food processor
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• wire rack
• wax paper

Directions

1. Stir together prunes, apricots, 1/4 cup sugar, and next 3 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low; cook 3 minutes.
2. Process fruit mixture and vanilla in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Stir in dried cranberries and next 3 ingredients; set aside.
3. Unfold phyllo, and cover with a damp towel to prevent pastry from drying out.
4. Stack 6 phyllo sheets on a flat surface covered with wax paper, brushing each sheet with melted butter.
5. Spoon half of fruit mixture down short edge of one end of phyllo stack, leaving a 1-inch border around edge. Repeat procedure for remaining phyllo and fruit mixture. Fold in long edges 1 inch.
6. Roll up, starting at short edge nearest filling.
7. Place each, seam side down, in a lightly greased jellyroll pan.
8. Cut 1/4-inch-deep diagonal slits, 1 inch apart, across top.
9. Brush strudels with melted butter; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup sugar.
10. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
11. * 1/4 cup orange juice may be substituted for brandy.
12. Note: For testing purposes only, we used Craisins for dried cranberries.