Choolate Hazelnut Banana Toaster Strudel

Well, this isn't really toaster strudel, more like a hand-held pie...but it was meant to mimic the famous 'Pop Tart' (R)....which could actually be toasted.  Nutrition be damned...sometimes you just need a treat!  This was a HUGE hit in my house and a perfect post-exam treat.  Believe me....we needed it.  The stress of final exams is becoming so intense these days.  I think our kids feel that every decision is a career decision...that is a lot of pressure for a teen.  So, a little chocolate hazelnut spread, banana, cinnamon and pastry must be able to ease some of that??  There is a cure for everything.

I left these out to cool while I was out and came home to find a missing pastry and a sweet note...

This is another recipe of 'assembly', rather than culinary art, but you are certainly welcome to whip up your own favourite pastry recipe to substitute for the 'express' pastry version here!  I will try it again with my own pastry recipe, but this one was so easy and fast...I had a cute little plastic mould from Williams Sonoma, but these could easily be made in triangles and folded over.

Chocolate Hazelnut  Banana Toaster Strudel

One package ready-made pastry
Chocolate hazelnut spread
1 banana, sliced very thin
cinnamon sugar
1 egg (beaten)

Preheat oven to 350F

Roll out pastry on floured surface.  Cut into triangles or use square pastry strudel mould.  Add one heaping teaspoon of chocolate hazelnut spread, lay a banana slice on top and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.  Brush edges of pastry with beaten egg and fold over (for triangles) or add top (for rectangle mould) and press edges together to seal.  Brush top with egg wash and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or granulated sugar.  Bake on parchment-lined cookie sheet for 25 mins (less for triangles) or until golden.  Let cool for 10 mins on baking rack.  Enjoy quickly...they disappear fast!