Lighter LOVELIES

Comforting puds with a lower-calorie twist

- ROSE FOOKS

Pear and ginger strudel

This is a healthy option, with the sweetness coming from the fruits.

SERVES 8 PREP 25 mins

COOK 30 mins, plus cooling

*750g ripe pears, peeled and diced

* 50g fresh white breadcrumbs

* 50g raisins

* 30g soft light brown sugar

*25g pine nuts, toasted

*25g crystallised ginger, diced

*6 sheets filo pastry

*30g unsalted butter, melted

*150ml whipping cream

* 1tbsp icing sugar, plus extra to dust

* 1tsp ground cardamom

1 Heat the oven to 180C Fan/Gas 6. Put the pears, breadcrumbs, raisins, sugar, pine nuts and diced ginger in a mixing bowl and stir well.

2 Lay a pastry sheet flat on a board and brush with melted butter. Repeat with the remaining pastry to give you 6 buttered layers. Spread the pear mixture over the pastry, leaving a 2cm border all the way around the edge.

3 Fold the short sides over the filling and brush with melted butter. Then from one long side, roll up the strudel as tightly and neatly as you can to form a Swiss roll. Make sure the seam of the pastry is on the bottom of the roll.