Cherry Cheese Purses

Ingredients:

1  pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1  can (21 oz.) Comstock® or Wilderness® More Fruit Cherry Fruit Filling or Topping
16  sheets (18” x 14”) frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1/3 cup butter, melted
Additional confectioners’ sugar, for garnish
Fudge sauce, optional

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease large baking sheet; set aside. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Add cherry filling and gently stir just until blended (mixture should look marbleized); set aside.
2. Stack phyllo sheets and cut into quarters, forming 64 (9” x 6” x ¾”) rectangles. For each purse, work with 4 rectangles at a time, keeping remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Lightly brush one side of each phyllo rectangle with melted butter. Stack 4 rectangles buttered sides up. Place 3 Tbsp. cherry mixture in center of phyllo stack. Carefully gather edges of phyllo up to enclose filling, lightly twisting and pressing at top to form a small purse or bag. Lightly brush outside of purse with butter. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter and cherry mixture to form 14-16 purses. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown; cool slightly.
3. To serve, sift additional confectioners’ sugar over warm purses. Drizzle warm fudge sauce decoratively over individual dessert plates before topping with purses, if desired. Serve immediately.
4. Make-Ahead Directions: Purses may be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen before baking. Form purses but do not brush outsides with butter. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator, brush with melted butter and bake as directed. Or, place in airtight container and freeze up to 2 months. Do not thaw before baking. Remove from freezer, brush with melted butter and bake frozen as directed, increasing baking time to 18 minutes. Serve as directed.

Makes 14-16 servings
Bake time: 15 minutes