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How to make good Jewish strudel


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The York Jewish Community Center is gearing up for its annual Jewish Food Festival April 17. One of the featured attractions: strudel. The sweet, flaky pastry is a dessert staple.

Recently, my videographer Sean Heisey and I had a chance to pop into the JCC's kitchen in York Township to see how the strudel is made. Rachel Singer, the cultural/contemporary adult director, and volunteers Vivian Lazar, Debbie Sherman and Gisele Axelrod gave us the secret recipe.

Apple Raisin Strudel

Ingredients

1 12-ounce box of Pillsbury Frozen Puff Pastry, kosher

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon water

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup apricot jam

1/4 cup crushed cookies

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup crystalized sugar

Directions

Thaw puff pastry sheet at room temperature for 30 minutes. Mix egg with water in small bowl, set aside. Brash edges of 16-by-10-inch pastry sheet with egg mix. Spread pastry evenly with apricot jam. Mix walnuts and cookies in separate bowl. Then, spread the walnut cookie mixture over the layer of apricot jam. Sprinkle with raisins. Roll pastry sheet up, jelly roll style. Place seam side down on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Tuck ends under to seal. With a sharp knife, cut diagonal slits into top of strudel roll. Brush with egg mixture. Sprinkle with crystalized sugar. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake 35 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.

Recipe by Esfir Kaganovsky