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

Festive Apple Galette

“Galette” is just a French name for a rustic tart; apples star in this version. It is easy to make and forgiving to those who don't bake often. We've substituted tangy nonfat yogurt for some of the butter in this dough recipe from San Francisco pastry chef Janet Dalton.


Ingredients


Crust

2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt

1/3 cup ice water

Filling

8 cups thinly sliced peeled Gala or Granny Smith apples, (5-6 medium)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2-3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg white, beaten

1 teaspoon granulated sugar
 
Preparation


1.To prepare crust: Combine whole-wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Using your fingers, crumble butter into the flour mixture until you get a coarse sandy texture.

2.Combine yogurt with ice water in a small bowl. Using a fork, incorporate the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture a little bit at a time. Add just enough to moisten the dough. Pat the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap; chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before rolling.

3.To prepare filling: Just before you roll out the dough, toss apples, lemon juice and brown sugar (enough to sweeten the filling to your taste) in a large bowl until combined.

4.Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.

5.On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough into a large circle, about 13 inches in diameter. Drape the dough over the rolling pin and carefully transfer it to the prepared baking sheet; patch any holes with your fingers.

6.Arrange the apples in a mound in the center of the dough, leaving a 2- to 3-inch border of dough around the edge. Fold the border up and over the filling, pleating as necessary; the apples will not be completely covered. Try not to make any holes, but if you do, patch as you go. Lightly brush the tart rim with egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

7.Bake the tart for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350º and continue baking until the crust is nicely browned and the apples are bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes more. Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the dough for the crust (Steps 1-2), wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Or prepare the galette up to 3 hours ahead. Serve at room temperature or reheat in a 350°F oven for about 7 to 8 minutes just before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving: 214 calories; 7 g fat (5 g sat, 0 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 3 g fiber; 41 mg sodium; 133 mg potassium.



2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 starch, 1-1/2 other carbohydrates, 1 fat

Pear, Apple & Cranberry Tarte Tatin

This ultimate fall and winter tart showcases the best fruits of the season: pears, apples and cranberries. Unlike other tarts, the tarte tatin is made upside down in a skillet. You start by cooking the fruit, then top it with the dough, carefully tuck in the edges and let it cook. When it's ready you invert the whole tart onto a plate. It comes out looking beautiful and is actually much easier than you might imagine.



Ingredients


Crust

1 cup white whole-wheat flour, (see Ingredient Note)

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons canola oil

3 tablespoons ice water

Filling

2 ripe but firm pears, peeled and thinly sliced

1 large apple, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup fresh cranberries
Preparation


1.To prepare crust: Place flour, oats, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor; process until the oats are finely ground. Add butter one piece at a time, pulsing once or twice after each addition, until incorporated. Add oil and water and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times until it holds together. Form the dough into a 5-inch disk, wrap in plastic or wax paper and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

2.Preheat oven to 375°F.

3.To prepare filling: Toss pears and apple with lemon juice in a large bowl.

4.Place brown sugar, butter, cinnamon and ginger in a 10-inch ovenproof skillet; cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until the butter and sugar are melted and the mixture starts to bubble. Remove from the heat. Starting at the center of the pan, arrange the pear and apple slices in concentric circles, overlapping the slices and adding another layer until all the slices are in the pan. Scatter cranberries on top.

5.Return the pan to medium-low heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. (It might be hard to see the simmering"take a peek under the fruit or listen for the bubbling.) Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook, gently swirling the pan occasionally, until the sauce becomes a thick, caramel-like glaze, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

6.Roll the dough out between sheets of parchment or wax paper into a 12-inch circle. Peel off the top sheet and invert the dough over the fruit. Peel off the remaining paper. Quickly tuck the edges of the crust down into the sides of the pan. Prick the top with a fork.

7.Transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the crust is just beginning to brown around the edges, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to release the crust. Place a serving plate larger than the pan on top of it and invert the tart onto the plate (it may take a light shaking to release the tart from the pan). Serve warm.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the crust (Step 1), wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Ingredient note: White whole-wheat flour, made from a special variety of white wheat, is light in color and flavor but has the same nutritional properties as regular whole-wheat flour. Available in large supermarkets and in natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

Nutrition

Per serving: 274 calories; 12 g fat (6 g sat, 2 g mono); 23 mg cholesterol; 41 g carbohydrates; 3 g protein; 5 g fiber; 146 mg sodium; 135 mg potassium.



Nutrition Bonus: Iron (15% daily value).



2 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1 carbohydrate (other), 2 fat