Ingredients

• 30g/1oz Earl Grey tea leaves
• 300g/10oz caster sugar
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• 1 litre /1¾ pints boiling water
• 700g/1.5lb pears
• peeled
• 1 tbsp Earl Grey tea leaves
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• 150g/5½oz sultanas
• 100g/3½oz flaked almonds
• toasted
• 100g/3½oz soft light brown sugar
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 275g/10oz ready-made filo pastry
• 1 heaped tbsp icing sugar
• plus extra for dusting
• 100g/3½oz butter
• melted
• 2-3 rich tea biscuits
• crumbled
• to serve (optional)

Directions

• For the sorbet
• mix together the tea leaves
• caster sugar and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl. Pour over the boiling water and set aside to steep for at least 30 minutes.
• When the mixture has steeped
• strain it through a fine sieve into an ice cream maker. Churn the mixture
• according to the manufacturer's instructions
• until almost frozen
• then transfer to a freezable container and place in the freezer until set.
• (NB: To make the sorbet without an ice cream maker
• freeze the mixture in a freezable container for one hour
• then remove and stir to break up the ice crystals. Repeat the freezing and stirring process 2-3 times
• until the sorbet is frozen solid.)
• Meanwhile
• for the strudel
• preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
• Stand the pears in the bottom of a saucepan. Add the tea leaves
• caster sugar and lemon juice
• then pour over enough cold water to just cover the pears. Bring the mixture to the boil
• stirring carefully.
• When the liquid is boiling
• reduce the heat until it is simmering. Poach the pears for 15-20 minutes
• or until tender. Drain the pears
• rinsing off any tea leaves that stick to them
• then set aside to cool slightly.
• When the pears have cooled
• cut them into quarters
• remove the cores
• then chop roughly.
• In a bowl
• mix together the chopped poached pears
• sultanas and almonds until well combined.
• Mix together the soft brown sugar and ground cinnamon
• then fold the mixture into the pear mixture until well combined.
• Lay the filo pastry onto a work surface lightly dusted with icing sugar. Overlap the sheets of pastry slightly to form a rectangle about 40cm x 30cm/16in x 12in. As you layer the filo pastry sheets
• brush each sheet all over with the melted butter.
• Continue to add the remaining filo pastry sheets in layers
• brushing each sheet with more of the melted butter
• until all the filo pastry and butter is used.
• Sprinkle the pear mixture onto the filo pastry rectangle
• leaving a 2.5cm/1in free at the edges of the rectangle.
• Fold the free edges of the long sides of the rectangle back over the pear mixture. Starting at one end of the shorter sides of the rectangle
• roll up the filo pastry and pear filling to form a swiss roll.
• Transfer the filo pastry roll to a baking tray and dust all over with the icing sugar. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes
• or until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown.
• To serve
• slice the cinnamon strudel and place one slice into the centre of each serving plate. Sprinkle some of the rich tea biscuits in a pile alongside the strudel. Place a scoop of the Earl Grey sorbet on top of the crumbled rich tea biscuits.