Granny's Apple Apricot Strudels

Phyllo strudels filled with chopped apples, dried apricots, slivered almonds, and a whisper of nutmeg. The bread crumbs in the filling aren’t padding. They soak up the juices the apples release as they bake, which keeps the bottom of the pastry from going soggy.

Phyllo is the part that tends to scare cooks off, but the trick is just keeping the unused sheets under a damp towel while you work. Once one sheet dries out, it shatters. Brush each folded leaf with melted butter so the layers crisp up into proper shards rather than fusing into a flat slab.

A squeeze of lemon juice keeps the apple filling bright instead of muddy-sweet, and the apricots add that chewy tang that plays off the soft fruit underneath.

Pro Tips

• Cover the phyllo stack with a damp, not wet, tea towel so the sheets stay pliable
• Don’t overfill the strudels. Too much filling and the seam splits in the oven
• Bake until deep golden brown. Pale phyllo is undercooked phyllo
• Dust with powdered sugar only after the strudels cool, otherwise it dissolves into stripes

Variations

• Swap apricots for dried cherries, golden raisins, or chopped dates
• Use walnuts or pecans in place of slivered almonds
• Add a pinch of cinnamon and a teaspoon of orange zest to the filling for brighter flavor