spiced apple cranberry bundles

Ingredients:
2 lbs (about 4 large) golden delicious apples
2 TBS plus 8 TBS unsalted butter
½ cup dried cherries or cranberries
¼ cup firmly packed brown sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
8 sheets phyllo dough

1. Peel and core apples. Cut them into ½ inch chunks. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Add the apples and cook and stir over med heat until they are just tender, 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and pour off and discard any excess liquid. Stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Let cool.
2. Measure ___ cups of spiced apples into mixing bowl. Add up to ½ cup dried berries of your choice. (or choose to leave them out – add ½ cup more apple mixture to your bowl.) Stir until apples and berries are just mixed.
3. Unroll package of phyllo sheets on work surface. Cover the sheets with a dampened kitchen towel. Keep them covered while you work so they won’t dry out.
4. Pick up 1 sheet of phyllo, place it on a large cutting board and brush it lightly with melted butter. Repeat, stacking and buttering 4 layers. Using a sharp knife, cut the buttered stack of phyllo in half, crosswise and lengthwise, making 4 rectangles. Put about ½ cup of the apple mixture in the center of each rectangle. Gather up the corners of the rectangles and gently pinch the dough together just above the apple filling. Butter, stack and cut another 4 rectangles; fill and pinch into bundles.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. Place 8 bundles on pan. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until they are a rich golden brown all over. Keep warm in the oven with the door ajar. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Serve with warm caramel sauce.

Serves 8

High altitude recipe