Lemon-cream cheese strudel

Lemon-cream cheese strudel

SERVES 6 to 8
TIME About 1 hour

Ingredients
1 sheet (half of a 17-oz. package) frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese
1 large egg
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. granulated sugar

Directions

1. Unfold pastry on a lightly floured board. With a floured rolling pin, roll pastry into a neat 10- by 14-in. rectangle.

2. In a bowl, with a mixer, beat cream cheese, egg, powdered sugar, lemon peel, and lemon juice until well blended.

3. Spoon cream cheese mixture down center of longest dimension of pastry to within 1 inch of each end; spread evenly to make a 4-in.-wide band. Fold 1 long pastry edge over filling; brush top of edge with water. Fold remaining edge over filling, overlapping opposite side of pastry. Pinch pastry ends to seal. With 2 wide spatulas, gently lift the roll and lay, seam down, on a lightly buttered 14- by 17-in. baking sheet. With a sharp knife, make shallow slashes at 1-in. intervals across the pastry. Sprinkle pastry evenly with granulated sugar.

4. Bake in a 400° regular or convection oven until strudel is deep golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on pan at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or cool. Cut into 6 to 8 equal slices and transfer to plates.

PER SERVING 419 cal., 69% (288 cal.) from fat; 7.5 g protein; 32 g fat (14 g sat.); 26 g carbo (0.6 g fiber); 252 mg sodium; 89 mg chol.