These tiny little strudels or hand pies might be one of my favourite things to make. So effortlessly simple, yet so amazingly delicious. Fresh blackberries, fresh oranges, a dash of dark rum, and plenty of vanilla and almonds, make these a real treat, especially with the afternoon coffee.
Blackberries are amazing in desserts; beautifully sweet, with just a touch of tartness. Their deep flavour pairs well the bright and sunny oranges, as well as the delightfully warm notes of rum.
My tips for success.
When it comes to these mini strudels, always count the filo sheets first. You need an even number of them, so you can use that one leftover sheet to cover them while baking, if they are browning too quickly. Or you can always make a slightly larger strudel with three sheets instead of two, of course.
The filling should resemble a soft custard, hence why I cook it down with cornflour. Arrowroot powder also works well in this, of course. I would not use flour as it creates a texture I am not too happy with in this context.
The reason why I use two pastry sheets for each strudel instead of one is the abundant filling. There is a lot of it, and it can get heavy for just one sheet, making the pies fold over or break once picked up. So two filo sheets work perfectly.
And finally, goes without saying, if your filo sheets came frozen, do defrost them according to the package directions before use. The same can be said about the berries; you can definitely use frozen and defrosted blackberries, just strain them well and use that liquid instead of water when thickening the filling.
Ingredients
For the strudels
500 grams filo pastry (16 sheets)
400 grams fresh blackberries
100 grams orange segments
100 grams light brown sugar
1 teaspoon dark rum
1 teaspoon fresh orange zest
50 millilitres cold water
30 grams cornflour
100 grams almonds, toasted and slivered
For the glaze
100 millilitres water
120 grams vegan block butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Preparation
Wash and clean the berries, zest and segment the oranges, and place the fruit into a large saucepan. Add in the sugar, rum, and the freshly grated orange zest, and mix briefly. Set it aside for about 30 minutes or so. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cold water and cornflour. After the fruit has released a bit of liquid, mash it very lightly with a spatula, add in the cornflour, and mix well.
Let this come to a gentle boil and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2-3 minutes, or until thickened and glossy with plenty of fruit pieces throughout. Set it aside for about 20 minutes to cool down so it does not tear the pastry sheets. Once the fruit is lukewarm, add in the almonds, and stir them through well.
Take a medium saucepan, add in the butter, vanilla, and water, and melt everything together. Once melted, proceed to assemble the pies. Place one filo sheet flat on the work surface, brush it generously with the butter mixture, and top it with another pastry sheet. Place a portion of the filling in one of the corners and fold it into a parcel whichever way is easiest for you. Place it, seam side down, on a large baking sheet lined with baking parchment.
Repeat with the rest of the filo sheets and fruit, arranging them on the baking sheet as you go. Finally, use whatever glaze you have left to brush the tops of the strudels, and bake them immediately in a preheated oven, at 200˚C, for about 20-25 minutes. Once they are golden brown and baked, remove them from the oven, let them cool down on the baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes, and serve. Yields 8 servings.
