Sweet Cheese Strudel

Phyllo dough, low in calories and fat, is a crisp counterpoint to the creamy cheese filling in this luscious strudel.


Ingredients


Sweet Cheese Strudel

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1/2 cup raisins

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 tablespoon butter, melted

8 sheets phyllo dough, (14x18 inches), thawed if frozen

2 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs

Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
 
Preparation


1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2.Combine sugar, cornstarch, egg white, vanilla and lemon zest in a small bowl; stir gently until well combined. Gently fold in ricotta with a rubber spatula until just combined. Gently fold in raisins. Set aside.

3.Combine oil and butter in a small bowl. Unroll phyllo sheets onto a clean, dry surface; cover with wax paper and then a slightly damp tea towel to prevent the dough from drying out.

4.Lay one sheet of phyllo on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of oil mixture and spread it around with a pastry brush. (Not all the dough will be covered.) Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon breadcrumbs. Repeat with 6 more sheets of phyllo, aligning each sheet over the previous ones. Lay the final phyllo sheet on top; do not sprinkle with oil, but sprinkle with remaining breadcrumbs; reserve remaining oil/butter mixture.

5.Gently spoon the cheese filling in a long, 12-by-2-inch mound along one long edge of the phyllo layers, leaving a 3-inch border between the mound and the short edges of the phyllo. Fold up the long edge and loosely roll up the strudel. (Do not roll too tightly; the filling will expand during baking.) Set the strudel, seam-side down, on the baking sheet. Fold and tuck the open ends securely, but not tightly, beneath the roll.

6.Brush strudel with remaining oil mixture. Make four short (1-inch) diagonal slashes along the top of strudel with a sharp paring knife, to allow steam to escape. Bake until the phyllo is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Carefully transfer strudel to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

7.Just before serving, dust strudel with confectioners’ sugar and slice with a serrated knife. Pool a spoonful of Raspberry Coulis on each dessert plate and top with a slice of strudel.

Tips & Notes

To ensure the smoothest texture for your strudel filling, check the labels on the part-skim ricotta in your supermarket and choose one that does not contain gums or stabilizers.Part-skim ricotta has about half the fat of whole-milk ricotta. Ingredients

Raspberry Coulis:




2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

About 1/2 cup sugar

About 1 tbsp. lemon juice

Preparation

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring raspberries and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture starts to thicken, about 15 minutes.



2. Press mixture through a fine-mesh strainer, using a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard seeds and skins. Stir in 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Taste and add more sugar or lemon juice if you like. Serve coulis warm or at room temperature.



Note: Nutritional analysis is per 2-tbsp. serving




Nutrition

Per serving: 244 calories; 6 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 11 mg cholesterol; 42 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 2 g fiber; 183 mg sodium; 154 mg potassium.



3 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 fruit, 2 other carbohydrate, 1 fat