HOMEMADE BLUEBERRY TOASTER STRUDELS

 

Ingredients:

• For the Pastry:
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter
  • 1 cup cold brick-style cream cheese
  • 6 tablespoons cold whipping cream
• For the Egg Wash:
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons milk
• For the Blueberry Filling:
  • Thick blueberry preserves or jam
• For the Glaze:
  • 3 tablespoons whipped cream or milk
  • ¾-1 cup powdered/icing sugar, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

1. Make the Pastry:
   • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
   • Cut the cold butter and cream cheese into cubes about ½-1 inch in size, and add them to the bowl.
   • Use a pastry cutter (or a fork and your fingers) to cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it forms pebble-sized pieces.
   • Add in the cold whipping cream and incorporate it into the batter using a large wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
   • Knead the dough 2-3 times until everything is combined.
2. Separate the dough into two equal sections and form each into a flat, square shape about ½-1 inch thick.
3. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Assemble the Strudels:
   • Remove one disk of pastry from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
   • Lightly flour a flat countertop or flat surface and a rolling pin.
   • Roll out the disk of dough to about ⅛ inch thick, forming a rectangle that's 9x12 inches in size.
   • Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into rectangles that are 3x4 inches in size.
   • Place the rectangles on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the fridge.
   • Remove the second disk of dough and repeat the process - these will be the top halves of your strudels.
5. Assemble the Strudels:
   • First, make the egg wash by whisking together the egg and milk in a small bowl.
   • Remove the cookie sheet of pastry rectangles from the fridge and brush the facing-up side with the egg wash.
   • Place about 1 tablespoon of blueberry preserves in the center of each rectangle, leaving about ¼ inch of space on either side.
   • Then, brush the pastry rectangles that are the top halves of your strudels with the egg wash, and fasten them over top of the bottom halves with the egg wash side down.
   • Seal the edges tightly with your fingers, then press the edges down using the tines of a fork.
   • Poke 8 small holes in the top of each pastry using a toothpick.
   • Place the strudels in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
6. Bake the Strudels:
   • When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
   • Remove the strudels from the fridge and brush the tops with the remaining egg wash.
   • Bake the strudels in the preheated oven for 20-22 minutes, or until the tops are starting to get golden in color and the pastry is flaky.
   • Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheet.
7. Make the Glaze & Decorate:
   • In a medium bowl, whisk together the icing sugar, cream, and vanilla to make the glaze. You may need to add a little more cream/milk or icing sugar to get the desired consistency.
   • Drizzle the tops of each pastry with glaze and enjoy!

Tips:

• For a more flavorful pastry, you can add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the flour mixture.
• If you don't have blueberry preserves, you can use any other type of preserves or jam that you like.
• To make a vegan version of this recipe, you can use vegan butter and vegan cream cheese.
• If you don't have a pastry cutter, you can use two knives to cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture.
• To prevent the strudels from sticking to the cookie sheet, be sure to line it with parchment paper.
• If you want to make the strudels ahead of time, you can assemble them and then freeze them for up to 3 months. When you're ready to bake them, simply thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and then bake them according to the instructions above.