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SERVES 6 TO 8

Note that Athens phyllo, the most commonly available brand (as well as our preferred brand), is sold in two sizes. Both are 1-pound packages, with the larger size containing 20 sheets measuring 18 by 14 inches and the smaller size containing 40 sheets measuring 14 by 9 inches—exactly half the size of the larger sheets. We prefer the larger sheets in our strudel, but if all you can find are the smaller sheets, divide the filling evenly and make two smaller strudels. The best ways to defrost the phyllo are in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for three to four hours; it doesn’t defrost well in the microwave. Make sure that the phyllo sheets you use for the strudel are not badly torn. If they have small cuts or tears in the same location (sometimes an entire package sustains cuts in the same spot), when forming the strudel, flip alternating layers so that the cuts will not line up, thereby creating a weak spot that can cause the strudel to burst during baking. Serve the strudel warm with lightly sweetened crème fraíche or whipped cream; if you chose to make the crème fraíche, make it before starting the strudel because it must stand at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours before serving.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
For a strudel recipe with a crisp, flaky crust that would hold its shape, we handled the phyllo dough carefully, sprinkling butter and sugar between its layers for a cohesive crust. We found that browning the bread crumbs in butter for our strudel recipe prevented an overtly bready flavor. Baking the strudel in a very hot oven for just 15 minutes crisped the phyllo but didn’t dry it out.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/10/secrets-to-easy-apple-strudel/

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Serves 10 to 12
We like bourbon, but any whiskey will work.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Lane cake is a tall, fluffy, snow-white cake filled with a rich, sweet mixture of egg whites, butter, raisins, and “a wineglass full of good whiskey." Our simplified Lane Cake recipe capped the number of layers at two, and using a food processor streamlined much of the tedious prep work. Replacing sugar with boiled corn syrup in our frosting quickly brought the whipped egg whites to a safe temperature without resorting to a candy thermometer or complicated (and unsafe) guesswork.

Serves 4 to 6

Turbinado, a coarse raw sugar, works especially well in place of the granulated sugar sprinkled on the pastry. Although we liked a mix of berries, virtually any ripe fruit—alone or in combination—will work here. Smooth jelly (rather than chunky jam or preserves) is a must for this recipe.

Serves 8 to 10

If using a hand-held mixer, you will need a very large, deep bowl and should move the beaters vigorously in step 3 to avoid underbeating the egg whites. This pie is best on the day it’s made.