Peel, core, and quarter the apples. Cut each quarter in half and then
each wedge into three pieces (you will have apple chunks).
In a heavy-bottomed 12" frying pan, melt 3 tb of the butter over
medium-high heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring, until the butter
and sugar melt together, turn light brown and have the consistency of
peanut butter. Add the apples carefully (the sugar mixture is very
hot). With a wooden spoon, mix the apples carefully with the caramel.
The caramel will harden; don't worry, it will melt again. Mix
together the cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, and sprinkle evenly over
the apples. Cook the apple mixture, stirring often, until the caramel
melts and the apples soften and start to look cooked.
Stir in the cranberries and the corn starch mixture. Cook for 2 to 3
minutes, until the juices in the pan thicken and take on a glossy
appearance. Transfer the apple-cranberry mixture to a shallow dish
and let cool.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet that has a raised rim
all around with parchment paper.
Melt the remaining 3 tb of butter. Lay a sheet of phyllo on the
prepared baking sheet. Brush the phyllo sheet lightly with the melted
butter. Place the next sheet of phyllo on top and brush it with
butter. Repeat with the remaining sheets, but do not butter the top
sheet. Reserve a bit of melted butter to brush on top of the finished
strudel. Place the apple-cranberry mixture in a strip along the long
side of the phyllo, about 1" in from the edge. Using the parchment to
help keep things together, roll up the phyllo to form a long log.
Adjust the roll's position on the baking sheet so it is not touching
the sides of the sheet. The roll will leak while it cooks, so make
sure it is on the parchment paper. Brush the top of the roll with the
reserved melted butter. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30
minutes, until the roll is nicely browned. Let it sit at least
15 minutes before serving.
Per serving: 247 calories, 2 g protein, 43 g carbs, 9 g fat,
19 mg cholesterol, 5 g saturated fat, 96 mg sodium
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Notes:
This is a delicious alternative to the traditional pie. The only
sticking point (literally) is in trying to get the strudel off the
baking sheet when it's done. The easiest method is to leave the
strudel on the parchment paper and move it onto a platter with the
parchment still beneath it, cutting away the excess. If you don't
want to risk breaking the strudel, slice and plate it in the kitchen,
or make individual strudels, which are easier to handle.
