Cream Cheesy Strudel Food

LEMON CREAM CHEESE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Defrost filo, following the package directions.
• Zest the lemon, mince and reserve. Carefully peel the lemon, removing all of the white pith. Thinly slice the peeled lemon with care, set aside. Lemon is easier to cut if first frozen.
• Combine the cheese, yolks, sugar and extract with an electric mixer or food processor. Blend until creamy.
• Fold in raisins if desired, and zest. Refrigerate.
• Heat oven to 375. Grease a baking sheet.
• Dampen a large cotton cloth, place on work surface.
• Remove first filo (phyllo) leaf from package and place on cloth. Brush the leaf quickly with melted butter. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Top with another filo leaf, butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons breadcrumbs.
• Repeat with 2 more filo leaves.
• Working across only the bottom half of the short end of the prepared filo, spread half of the filling on the pastry, leaving a one-inch border acress the short end and halfway up both sides.
• Lay half of the lemon slices in a row across the filling.
• Fold the border over the filling, and using the cloth as a guide, loosely roll the pastry jellyroll fashion, taking care to keep ends tucked inches.
• Place rolled strudel, seam side down, on prepared baking sheet, brush with butter. Using a sharp knife, make seven slashes just through the top layer of filo leaves dividing the strudel into 8 equal servings. Repeat entire process with remaining filo leaves and filling to make a 2nd strudel.
• Bake 50-55 minutes, or until deep golden brown. Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

CREAM CHEESE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Combine both packages of cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer. Set aside.
• Lightly spray a 9x13" pan with Pam. Spread out one package of the crescent rolls to cover the bottom of the prepared 9x13" pan.
• Gently spread the cream cheese mixture on top of the pressed crescent roll.
• Take the second package of the crescent roll and roll out between two pieces of wax paper. (This is much easier than trying to spread out on top of the cream cheese mixture already in the pan) Lay on top of the cream cheese mixture.
• Mix together your topping ingredients and spread out over the second layer of the crescent rolls.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until sides turn lightly brown.

CHEESE AND CHERRY STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), blend the cream cheese until soft and smooth. Add the farmer's cheese and continue to blend. Add the egg and mix. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar and the vanilla. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip (or just set aside in a bowl).
• Transfer 1 sheet of phyllo to the prepared pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo with butter. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/3 of the ground walnuts. Repeat with the 2 remaining sheets of phyllo--reserving the some melted butter and nuts for the top, once rolled.
• Turn the sheet pan so that the phyllo is horizontal to your body. Two inches in from the left-hand edge of the phyllo, working from top to bottom and leaving 2 inches bare at the top and bottom, pipe or spoon a 3/4 inch thick line of cream cheese mixture.
• Alongside the cream cheese, pour the cherry pie filling. Turn the sheet pan a quarter turn and, starting at the edge the fillings are near, roll up the pastry to encase the filling. Keep rolling to form a log. Move the log to the center of the sheet pan and tuck the ends under to keep the filling from oozing out. Brush the surface with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining sugar and nuts.
• Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes on the pan. Using a serrated knife, cut carefully into sections and serve warm.

CHERRY CHEESE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Beat first 4 ingredients until smooth.
• Coat jelly roll pan with spray.
• Cover phyllo with wax paper and damp paper towels to keep moist.
• Place 1 sheet phyllo on pan. Coat with cooking spray.
• Sprinkle 1 1/2 t graham crumbs on top.
• Repeat layering with remaining phyllo spray and crumbs ending with phyllo.
• Spoon cheese mixture in a 3 inch wide strip along 1 long side of dough leaving a 2 inch border on long and short ends.
• Top with pie filling.
• Fold ends and long side over filling.
• Starting with filled long side, roll.
• Place seam side down and coat with spray.
• Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden on top. Cool.
• If desired, sprinkle confectioners sugar on top.

CREAM CHEESE STRUDEL COOKIES

Steps:

• Combine first 3 ingredients in processor; blend until clumps form. Gather dough into ball; flatten into square. Wrap in plastic; freeze until cold enough to roll, about 15 minutes, or refrigerate up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter baking sheet. Cut dough crosswise in half. Roll out each piece on floured surface to 12x8-inch rectangle. Spread each with 1/4 cup jam. Top each with 1/2 cup coconut and 1/2 cup cherries. Starting at 1 long side, roll dough up jelly-roll style; seal long seam. Cut each roll crosswise into 12 pieces. Arrange pieces, cut side up, on prepared sheet. Flatten each to 1/2-inch thickness.
• Bake cookies until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool on rack.

CHERRY-CHEESE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Brush a large rimmed baking sheet with melted butter; set aside. Combine the cherries and their juice, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cinnamon sticks in a medium high-sided skillet. Place over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook until juice is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Transfer 2 tablespoons of juice to a small bowl; add the cornstarch, and whisk until combined. Return mixture to skillet and cook, stirring until thickened, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt on medium-high speed until very smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk, and beat to combine.
• Lay a large, clean cloth or sheet (at least 3 feet long and wide) on a work surface, and sprinkle well with flour. Place dough in center of cloth, and roll out to a 12-inch square. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roll out dough again to about a 20-inch square, and lightly brush entire surface with oil. Slide both hands, with slightly curved palms facing down, under dough toward the center. Holding this position, lift the dough off the cloth with your knuckles, and begin stretching from the center out to the edges until it is too large to stretch easily with your hands. Carefully set dough back on cloth, spreading it to smooth out any wrinkles or folds. Starting in the center again, continue to stretch out the dough in all directions, maintaining a rectangular shape, until the dough is almost translucent everywhere except the edges,which should be thicker. Don't worry if the dough tears while stretching: Once you're done, you will be able to patch any holes with some of the excess stretched dough.
• Using a pizza wheel or kitchen scissors, trim all the thick edges until the dough is about 30 by 28 inches. Drizzle 4 tablespoons melted butter evenly over the dough. With a short side facing you, and starting about 6 inches from the top edge, spread the cream cheese mixture in a 6-inch-wide layer, horizontally, leaving a 3-inch border on each end. Arrange the cherry mixture evenly on top of the cream cheese. Using the cloth, lift up and flip the 6-inch top edge of the dough over the filling. Repeat lifting and folding once, leaving sides open. Then fold in sides of dough to enclose the filling. Continue lifting and folding until the dough is completely rolled into a flat log. If the ends are very thick, trim them as you work.
• Place the prepared baking sheet lengthwise next to the log. To transfer, gently flip one end of the log onto the baking sheet, seam side down, then flip the other end, curving to form a crescent shape. Brush the surface evenly with the remaining tablespoon butter, and generously sprinkle with sanding sugar. Using a wooden skewer, prick the surface of the dough to allow steam to escape.
• Bake until strudel is deep golden, about 1 hour. Transfer sheet to a wire rack to cool, 10 minutes. Using two large offset spatulas, release strudel from the sheet and slide it onto the rack. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, as desired.
• Strudel Dough
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour and salt. Add oil and warm water; mix on medium-low speed until dough just comes together, about 1 minute. Switch to the dough hook; mix until dough is smooth and shiny and doesn't stick to your fingers, about 5 minutes.
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough, dusting with flour as you go and periodically slamming it against the work surface, until it is soft, smooth, and elastic. Leave dough on work surface; cover with an overturned bowl. Let rest at room temperature at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
• Strudel how-to
• A square of strudel dough is placed on a well-floured sheet on top of a large work surface.
• The dough is rolled and brushed with oil, then stretched into a very large, nearly translucent rectangle.
• If the dough tears, it can be easily patched with extra dough.
• Sweetened cream cheese is spread in a layer across the top of the dough, then covered with sour cherry filling.
• The cloth helps support the dough as it is folded around the filling.
• The flat log is transferred to a rimmed baking sheet, the ends curved to form a crescent. A skewer is used to prick holes in the surface.