Lemon Cheese Strudel
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This is a very delicate dessert. If you are watching calories, try spraying the phyllo dough with butter-flavored cooking spray rather than brushing them with butter. Lemon Curd can be purchased in the jam section of your local supermarket.
INGREDIENTS
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
3-ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
8 sheets frozen phyllo dough pastry, thawed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup Lemon CurdCombine the cinnamon and the sugar in a small bowl. Set aside. Blend together the cream cheese and lemon extract.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a cookie sheet.
Place 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface (keep the remaining sheets covered). Brush the sheet with some of the melted butter and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of the cinnamon-sugar. Top the buttered phyllo sheet with a new sheet. Butter the second sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Repeat the process, using the remaining 6 phyllo sheets.
Spread the cream cheese onto the pastry, leaving at least a 1/2-inch border on all sides of the filling. Spread the Lemon Curd on top of the cream cheese. Fold the short ends over the filling. Brush the edges with melted butter. Roll up the phyllo dough starting at the long side. Brush with melted butter. Press the seam to seal.
Place the strudel, seam side down, on the prepared cookie sheet. Brush strudel with butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon-sugar. Bake until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Cut into slices with a sharp serrated knife.
Makes 6 servings