Mock Fruit Strudel with Ice Cream

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 fresh Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and finely diced
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 2 tablespoons golden raisins
• 1 (16-ounce) can pears, well-drained and finely diced
• 1 (16-ounce) can peaches, well-drained and finely diced
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 20 sheets phyllo dough (based on 18 by 14-inch sheets which are often sold in packs of 18 to 20 for thickness number 4)
• 1 cup melted butter
• 1 small pound cake, defrosted, and cut into small cubes
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 or 2 eggs, lightly beaten, for egg wash
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 pint vanilla ice cream
• 1 (6-ounce) jar caramel sauce (the kind used as an ice cream topping), warmed just before serving

Directions

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in apples, raisins, and golden raisins. Saute for about 5 to 7 minutes until they begin to caramelize. Add pears, peaches, vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

If phyllo was defrosted, make sure it is completely defrosted before handling it. Once removed from package, you will need to cover phyllo with waxed paper and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Working with 1 sheet at a time, lay out a dough sheet on a baking sheet and brush on butter. Lay another sheet on top and butter again, repeating for all the phyllo sheets, until you have a stack of 10. Start another stack of 10 on a separate baking sheet and butter in between each sheet in the same way.

Fold cubed pound cake and bread crumbs into the fruit mixture. (This will absorb enough of the moisture to prevent the phyllo from breaking down.)

Spread the fruit mixture evenly over each stack of prepared phyllo and gently roll up the dough from the longest side, folding the ends shut as you go. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake in oven until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.

Serve at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and warm caramel sauce.