Rossana's Phyllo Streudel

I usually use about four good sized ones, trying to have a couple of different kinds and including a Granny Smith for some tartness. Your favourite ones will do nicely. I'll sometimes substitutive a pear and almost always add a peach that's been peeled and thinly sliced.

Place your fruit slices into a good sized bowl so you can mix them easily and sprinkle in no particular order, the following on top (remember all amounts are approximate and subject to change according to your taste preferences . . . I use a lot of cinnamon . . . I know it's more than 2 tsp!) :

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 1 tsp allspice, ground
• 1 tsp nutmeg, ground
• 1 tsp ginger, ground
• 1/2 tsp cardamom, ground
• 1/2 tsp cloves, ground
• juice of half a lemon
• 1/2 cup (or more) raisins (or fresh cranberries, halved)

Mix it all together till nicely blended and set aside.

Now . . . I use about eight sheets of phyllo pastry (the store bought stuff). Brush melted butter between each layer until you have at least eight and butter the top one generously. Sprinkle about a half cup of ground almonds (or hazelnuts, or walnuts) over the pastry and then spread the fruit filling to within an inch of three of the edges and a couple of inches from one of the longer edges. Now starting at the opposite long edge, roll the pastry jelly roll style finishing with the seam on the bottom. Brush the top with butter. Make a couple of slits in it. Bake at 350F til nicely golden. This should take about 30 - 40 minutes. Allow to cool a little and serve garnished with creme fraiche (a close facsimile recipe follows) or your favourite ice cream. Stand back and appreciate the applause.

Now, I haven't made this for a while but if I remember correctly that amount of fruit makes enough for two streudels. They freeze really well.