Thursday, April 12, 2007

Sunrise log (strudel)

It has taken me some time to think of a name for this strudel. Should I go literal, like mango & carrot strudel with a touch of coconut & pineapple? What a handful! Or go playful, like virgin mango pina colada log, but carrot be missed out... The name was finalized after seeing the mango chunks sitting on red, which pretty much reminds me of sunrise. If your mango at the bottom, you get your sunset log then!

Feel free to replace carrot with cherry or any berry, but the carrot is able to give the filling some bite, think of Granny Smith. The mangoes I chose are from Nicaragua (Central America), easily found at grocery stores here. Unlike most mangoes in Asia, their skin still stays green even fully ripe, and they are less juicy but much firmer, great for baking.

Recipe: (yield 1 log, 8 - 10 servings)

For the strudel dough
*adapted from Lidia's Family Table*

1 1/4 cups bread flour, 1 1/2 TBps oil, a pinch of salt, 1/3 cup or as needed water, 6 Tbps butter melted, a handful of bread crumbs, and more sugar

For the filling:

1+1/2 ripe and firm mangoes cubed, 2 cups coarsely shredded carrot (about 5 medium), 1 cup fresh pineapple juice unsweetened, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 heap spoons strawberry preserved, 10 amaretti crumbled, 2 handfuls desiccated coconut

Directions:

For the dough:

I highly recommend Lidia's book in which she explains the steps in a great length. In here I can only tell you briefly what I did: Mix flour, salt, oil and water, knead briefly, wrap and rest the dough in fridge for 2 hours at least. Roll dough, aiming to a rectangle shape, to 18-inch. In between rollings you should rest the dough (wrap) a few times so that the dough is able to relax, and spread more easily. Now wrap the dough and send back to the fridge while you prepare the filling as follow.

For the filling:
  • In a small pot, bring pineapple juice and sugar to boil, add carrot, simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain but save the syrup, you may need it if your filling happens to be too dry.
  • Mix the carrot with strawberry preserve (enhance the color). I like the filling look thicken so I add in crumble amaretti (nutty flavor as bonus). Set aside.
  • Set the mango chunks aside
  • Start to melt the butter
  • Take out your dough and let it sit in room temperature for a while

To assemble:

  • Per-heat oven 375F. Grease a 17" x 11" baking pan, set aside.
  • You need a big work area. Place a linen cloth, about 4' x 3', on a flat surface, lightly flour
  • Start to stretch your dough (you will find it very easy if you used to handle pizza dough) to very thin until you reach the size of 3' x 2'. Lay the thin dough on the cloth.
  • Brush the butter all over. Sprinkle a handful each of bread crumbs and sugar, plus 2 handfuls of coconut. Then position the filling (please refer the photo), 4 inch away from one of the long sides, and 3 inch from the short sides.
  • Use the cloth as assistance, lift up the cloth and start rolling the log. When it's done, pinch the both ends, carefully transfer it onto the baking pan. Use a very sharp knife to poke the log (to allow steam getting out during baking, but make sure the knife pokes through all the layers). Brush more butter and sprinkle more sugar on top.
  • Bake for about 45 minutes or until the strudel golden brown
  • Best to serve with coconut cream or coconut ice-cream.

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25 comments:

Unknown said...

I love the long names :p And this certain looks flaky, perfect with a cup of coffee, and with friend(s) to chit-chat *wink*

Anh said...

I love the name - "sunrise". I wouldn't mind eating your beautiful strudel for breaky. :P Like Angie said, perfect with an espresso. With a friend to chit chat; or alone with some nice music. Can't ask for more. :)

FH said...

Oh man! Your kids are lucky or what?Yummy and beyond words!Hugs.

Have a great weekend Gattina:)

Brilynn said...

I thought the dough was phyllo pastry when I first saw it, it's so crackly and nice!

Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) said...

I love how thin you've rolled out your strudel dough -- you can see the pattern on the countertop right through it! Every time I try to do that, I get holes everywhere. The name ("sunrise") is perfect for this.

Patricia Scarpin said...

Gattina, this is wonderful! I love the choice of filling, unusual and delicious!

My German grandmother used to make strudel (Apfelstrudel, actually, she never changed the filling). And she used to say that one must roll out the dough so thinly that one should slip a sheet of paper (with something written on it) under the dough and be able to read the words through it! :D

I think that she was right, because you did it, my dear!

sher said...

Perfect name for this! What a wonderful way to start the day. But, I would also eat it anytime! My mom made strudel and it's a labor of love. Any family should kneel in gratitude when some makes it for them. :):) I love the little "flower" decorating it.

Bong Mom said...

Thats a lovely name , the "sunrise" is beautiful but why log Gattina.

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

Both genius and sunrise are perfect fits here. This is really beautiful and I really like the carrot!

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous strudel, Gattina! The name is so apt and descriptive!

Katie said...

You make it look and sound so easy...and I know it's not.
Sunrise is the perfect name!

Mishmash ! said...

Hey...how was easter? Hope u had fun and food :) This is unique from the regular streudels we see..(I mean apple streudels) and i liked ur mango flower...how did u manage with such thin delicate mango flesh?

Maneka Nirmal said...

absolutely fabulous strudel..r we invited?!!!

Peabody said...

I can see why it got it's name...beautiful.

Dr. Soumya Bhat said...

hoo my god this looks awesome.Perfect for this spring.Lovely presentation .Thanks for sharing

Warda said...

The dough looks so flaky. I relly tought it was phylo dough. It looks so beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Mmmmmmm...the mango and coconut combo has got to make this just irresistible!

Gattina Cheung said...

Angie, it will by my glory if I can drag you out from your work and have a cuppa with me, hehee...

Anh, that's why I like food (and coffee)... they draw people together! Wish one day I will meet you and Agnie :D

Asha, hug to you too!

Brilynn, the handling the same (... anal), but the texture and taste is different from phyllo.

Lydia, thank for your compliment! The author said a few holes are not un-common. You are a great baker sure you can handle it :D

Pat, thank you sweetie! Now I am imagining all the most gorgeous pastry made by your grandmother! In here the most common fillings are apple+raisin or cheese + berries. But heard German versions really go unlimited, even including savory... you are from multi-cultured background, can't wait to hear more about it from you *kiss*

Sher *lol* you are really sweet! Be honest, it really didn't involve much work, except lots of (dough) resting time. You mom was a wonderful baker... imagine those fresh-baked goodies on table from time to time... oh boy!

Sandeepa, thank you my friend :D
If you scroll to the group photoes, on left you will see a curved log... it is what strudel looks like before I cut it into individual portion.

Tanna, thank you! I don't usually eat carrot in a dish, but love it a ton in cakes, so this one totally satisfies me :D

Gilly, thank you sweetie!

Katie, thank you! I very often handle dough (pizza and bread) so I actually find this strudel easy... but I know what you mean. Like frosted cakes, most bloggers do it beautifully and successfully, but I just find it difficult :D

Snh, thanks for asking my Easter holiday :D The Easter Dinner went well, last minute the guest (who originally refused to bring ove sweet) brought in 4 desserts (oh my gosh, maybe she see this blo *lol*). Until today I still stuff up :D
About the mango flowers, in the western supermarket you should find the green skin mango I mentioned, the flesh is more firm (but I like our Asian mango which is soft and sweet, best for snacking), so the slices didn't break up even I used a peeler.

Hi maneka, you are most welcome!!!

Peabody, thank you sweetie!

Dr soumya, you are welcome!

Rose, thank you! I think this pastry is popular in northern Italy, which got some influnence from Germany and Austria.

windwhisperer, put anything about mango and coconut in drink, I will start dancing :D

Anonymous said...

The filling is very interesting... I would like to try.
Ciao.

Chris said...

This looks lovely, and would bring a huge "sunny" smile to my face! The strudel dough looks so great! Like the others, I thought it was phyllo as well!

nini said...

mmmmm, j'adoore! che buooono!

Anonymous said...

Oooh...strudels...
Sunrise strudel is a beautiful name and it represents that mouthful of words so well.
Mangoes the sun center, carrots the sunrays...they just clicked to me!

Anonymous said...

That was an innovative name for this lovely recipe...Gattina do you live somewhere near LA. I wanna invite myself to your place **SMILES**

Sinfully delicious dessert

-Sushma

Gattina Cheung said...

Sabrina, as long as you like mango and carrot, or you can change anything you fancy, just ensure they won't release much liquid during baking. If they do (like blackberry), you may like to cook them with sugar first so that its juice will thicken up with the syrup.

Chris, thank you sweetie! The appeareance and the handling are very much like phyllo, but I much like the taste and texture of this dough. :D

nini, grazie! =)

Tigerfish, oh thanks for your compliment !

sushma, please come, you are most welcome, but errr... to the east coast :P I know you are so sweet, your encouragement means a lot to me *hug*

Helene said...

Yeah! I have leftover filo and now a new recipe to try! I LOVE it!