Pear Strudel with Chocolate Sauce

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1  cup sugar
• 2  vanilla beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2  fluid ounces heavy whipping cream
• 2  fluid ounces water
• 6  ounces bittersweet chocolate or 6  ounces  semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 2  tablespoons brandy
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2  lbs Anjou pears, peeled,cored,cut into ¾ inch pieces
• 1  teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 3⁄4 cup toasted hazelnuts
• 12  vanilla wafer cookies
• 10  sheets phyllo dough
• 1  cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
•  vanilla ice cream
•  fresh mint sprig

Directions

1. Combine the sugar and vanilla in a food processor and blend until the beans are very finely chopped.
2. Sift the vanilla sugar into a bowl and discard the contents of the sieve; cover and set aside.
3. Combine the cream, water, and 3 tablespoons of the vanilla sugar in a saucepan.
4. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil.
5. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate, and whisk until smooth.
6. Whisk in the brandy.
7. Mix ½ cup of the vanilla sugar and cornstarch in a bowl.
8. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a skillet, then add the pears and sauté until tender and golden.
9. Sprinkle the cornstarch mixture over the pears and stir to blend.
10. Simmer until the juices are very thick, stirring often.
11. Remove from the heat, mix in the lemon juice, and let cool.
12. Finely grind the nuts, cookies, and 2 tablespoons of the vanilla sugar in the food processor; transfer to a small bowl.
13. Butter a baking sheet and place a phyllo sheet on a work surface.
14. Brush the phyllo with butter, top with a second phyllo sheet, and brush again with butter.
15. Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture.
16. Repeat layering with 6 more phyllo sheets, buttering and sprinkling each with 3 tablespoons of the nut mixture.
17. Top with another phyllo sheet and brush with butter.
18. Top with another phyllo sheet (for a total of 10 sheets) and brush with butter.
19. Starting 2 inches from the long side and 2½ inches from the short side, spoon the filling in a 3-inch-wide and 12-inch-long log parallel to one of the long sides.
20. Fold the short sides over the filling and unsalted butter the folded edges.
21. Roll up the strudel lengthwise, enclosing the filling, and transfer to the greased baking sheet.
22. Brush the strudel thoroughly with butter.
23. Preheat your oven to 375°F and bake the strudel until golden brown, about 45 minutes.
24. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting with a serrated knife into crosswise sections.
25. Spoon warm chocolate sauce onto each serving plate and place the strudel atop the sauce.
26. Place a scoop of ice cream alongside, garnish with mint, and serve.