Apple Cream Cheese Cigars

Submitted by Brandess

"Years ago, I was looking for a low fat, yet satisfying dessert for a special dinner and I came across these flavor packed, strudel like, cigars. They are so satisfying, look elegant and disappear quickly. They also pack a wallop for presentation, but are very simplistic to make. They also freeze well if you freeze them before baking."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Yields: 24 Cigars
• Serves: 24

ingredients

• Filling

• 1 cup dried apple, chopped
• 1⁄3 cup apple juice concentrate, thawed undiluted
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 dash ground nutmeg
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup low-fat cream cheese (2 ounces neufchatel. This is 1/3 less fat cream cheese)
• 1 large egg

• Pastry

• 12 phyllo pastry sheets, thawed
• cooking spray
• 1⁄2 cup graham cracker crumbs, divided
• 1⁄4 cup sugar, divided

• Topping

• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

directions

1. To prepare the filling, combine the first 4 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring the apple mixture to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Cool to room temperature. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cream cheese in a small bowl; beat with a mixer at low speed until blended. Add egg; beat until blended. Fold in apple mixture; cover and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°.
3. To prepare the pastry, place 1 phyllo sheet on a large cutting board or work surface (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), and lightly coat with cooking spray. Sprinkle the phyllo with 2 teaspoons graham cracker crumbs and 1 teaspoon sugar. Repeat the layers twice, ending with the crumbs and sugar. Cut phyllo stack lengthwise into 6 (2 3/4-inch-wide) strips using a sharp knife. Spoon 1 rounded teaspoon of apple mixture 1/2 inch from the end of each phyllo strip. Roll up each strip, beginning with apple mixture end; place the strips, seam sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray, and lightly coat each roll with cooking spray. Repeat the procedure with the remaining phyllo, crumbs, sugar, and apple mixture.
4. To prepare the topping, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over phyllo rolls. (To Freeze: Here is were I place the cigars on a baking sheet and hard freeze for 1 hour. Remove the cigars and place in freezer proof bags or FoodSaver them on the gentle setting.).
5. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, and cool on a wire rack.

Reviews

[patti k.]

These are very tasty and pretty simple - even though I kind of missed the instructions that they were supposed to be 2 3/4 inch strips - I cut the strips the wrong direction, so mine were more like cigar stubs - but they were still good - next time, I'll turn my phyllo around! I actually used dried pineapple and pineapple juice instead of apple, and it was great. Served them with pastries on a breakfast buffet. Thanks for sharing!