Thaw the phyllo dough in the fridge overnight, until pliable but still cold.
Refrigerator
💡Work with store-bought dough while it's cold: warm puff pastry gets sticky and won't puff in the oven, and phyllo sheets dry out fast, so keep the waiting sheets covered with a damp towel.
For the Sugar Syrup
2
Bring the sugar and water to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer 10 minutes, until the sugar melts and the syrup thickens slightly.
⚙ SimmeringStove
💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
3
Add the lemon juice.
💡The lemon keeps the sugar from crystallizing again.
4
Cool completely.
💡Cold syrup on a hot pastry soaks in evenly.
To assemble
5
Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F) and butter the pan.
⚙ Preheating the OvenOven
💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
6
Mix the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla into a smooth cream.
7
Lay a sheet of phyllo on the work surface and brush with butter, set a second sheet on top and brush again.
Pastry brush
8
Place a strip of the cream along the edge and roll into log.
9
Repeat with the rest of the sheets, and arrange in the pan.
Baking pan
10
Bake 25–30 minutes, until the rolls turn golden.
⚙ BakingOvenBaking pan
💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
11
As soon as they come out of the oven, pour the cold syrup over the rolls and let cool before serving.
491calories
5 gprotein
49 gcarbs
31 gfat
● protein 4%● carbs 40%● fat 56%
Per serving (132 g), of 8 servings
For the Wrapping Dough · For the Sugar Syrup · To assemble ·
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Vanilla extract: measured in tsp in this recipe: 1 tsp = 4.2 g · 288 kcal per 100 g · More about Vanilla extract →
🔧 Tools needed (5) · 🍳 One cooking vessel
Oven· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Toaster oven (Fits one small pan; good for small batches) · Air fryer (Small batches only, no runny batters) · Pot (Only for covered stews on the stovetop, no browning on top)
Refrigerator· Also works: Freezer (Chills faster; don't let it freeze) · Ice bath (Ice bath)
Stove· 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
Baking pan· Also works: Glass / ovenproof baking dish (None) · Disposable pan (None)
Pastry brush· Also works: Spoon / teaspoon (regular) (Spread with the back of a spoon, less even) · Paper towels (Paper towel dipped in oil)
By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.
