Pear strudel with cranberries

Ingredients:

• 3 Bosc pears (about 700g), peeled and cut into 2.5cm pieces.
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
• 4 tbsp plain breadcrumbs
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 6 sheets of filo dough
• 2 tbsp finely chopped toasted almonds
• Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)
• Sour cream or whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Preparation:

1. Position the oven rack on the middle shelf and preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Toss the pears with lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Set aside to cool, then skim off any white foam from the surface and discard. Pour the melted butter into a bowl, leaving the solids at the bottom of the pan.
3. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter over medium-high heat. Add the pear mixture and cook until the pears begin to release their juices. Add the cranberries, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until the pears are crisp-tender, about 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter. breadcrumbs; cool slightly.
4. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar with the allspice and ginger in a small bowl. Cut a piece of parchment paper slightly longer than the phyllo sheets and lay it parallel to the surface with the long edge facing you. Place a stack of phyllo dough next to it and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
5. Place one sheet of phyllo on the parchment paper, long side facing you. Brush with a little of the reserved butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon each of nuts and spiced sugar. Repeat with each remaining sheet of phyllo, stacking them. Sprinkle the top layer of dough with the remaining 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs.
6. Spread the pear mixture along the dough, about 2.5 cm from the edge closest to you, to form a mound, and 5 cm of dough at each end. Using the parchment paper, roll the dough tightly over the filling to form a log, and place it seam-side down. Transfer the parchment paper and strudel to a baking sheet.
7. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer the strudel to a cooling rack on the baking sheet. Trim the ends with a serrated knife. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm or hot with sour cream or whipped cream.
   
   Beautiful presentation
   
   Cut the strudel into thirds, then cut each piece in half diagonally. You'll get beautiful portions with the layers and filling visible.