Savor healthy sweets
Ingredients
Filling
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- 4 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
- 1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed
- 1 cup 1 percent cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 8 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
Cookies
- Parchment paper
- 2/3 cup slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 5 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
- Vegetable oil cooking spray
Preparation
Place milk in a small saucepan. Sprinkle with gelatin;
allow to rest until gelatin absorbs and begins to puff up on the surface
of milk, about 15 minutes. Heat on medium to medium-high heat, stirring
constantly, until gelatin completely dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove
from heat. Blend frozen strawberries, cottage cheese and sugar in a
blender until smooth. Add cream cheese and lemon juice and blend until
creamy. Add gelatin mixture and blend until smooth. Pour into a bowl;
cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 1 to 2 hours. Heat oven
to 350°F. Cover 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Grind
almonds and sugar in a food processor. Lay out 1 phyllo sheet on a large
cutting board; coat with a thin layer of cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2
tablespoon almond mixture. Stack another phyllo sheet on top and
repeat. Continue until you have 5 layers, ending with almonds on top.
Coat with a thin layer of cooking spray. Cut sheet into 4 even strips
horizontally and then 3 even strips vertically to form 12 rectangles.
Cut each rectangle diagonally to form triangles. Transfer cookies to 2
baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a
wire rack to cool. Spread 3 tablespoon cheesecake filling and a few
strawberry slices on a cookie. Add another cookie on top and repeat
filling and strawberry slices. Top with another cookie, and end with
filling and strawberries. Serve immediately or store cookies and filling
separately until you are ready to serve them.
