This Sweet Cheese Rolls with Cream comes together in about 30 minutes and involves no-bake methods for a quick dessert that your family will absolutely love! You can switch up the ingredients, add your favorite flavors, or use it as a fun way to ‘clean out the fridge’ with leftover odds and ends. Trust me, this dish is a total crowd-pleaser that makes a delightful treat for any occasion!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 3 Pieces of Sliced Bread
- 150 g Whole Milk (5.3 oz)
- 10 g Cornstarch (0.35 oz)
- 350 g Heavy Cream (35% Fat) (12.3 oz)
- 10 g White Granulated Sugar (0.35 oz) (Optional)
- 1 Teaspoon Orange Blossom Water (Optional)
- 200 g Water (7.1 oz)
- 100 g White Granulated Sugar (3.5 oz)
- 70 g Fine Semolina (2.5 oz)
- 150 g Mozzarella Cheese, Shredded (5.3 oz)
- 1 Tablespoon Orange Blossom Water
- 1/2 Tablespoon Rose Water
- Orange Blossom Syrup (Homemade or Store-Bought) – Optional
- Shelled Pistachios, Ground
Let’s Get Cooking!
How to Make Sweet Cheese Rolls with Cream
Prepare the Ashta:
- Start by placing the sliced bread in a food processor and process until it turns into crumbs. No food processor? No problem! You can just cut it into small pieces instead, but avoid squeezing too hard! (We want fluffy bread, not a gummy mess!)
- In a medium pot, whisk together the milk and cornstarch until fully combined. Aim for a lump-free mix!
- Now, incorporate the sugar (if you’re using it) and the heavy cream, then stir in those lovely bread crumbs. Mix it all together until combined.
- Set the pot on medium-high heat and bring it to a boil, this should take about 8 minutes stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula (trust me, you don’t want anything sticking to the bottom).
- Once it starts bubbling, lower the heat to medium-low and keep stirring for an extra 5 minutes until it thickens up beautifully and coats the back of a spoon. The ashta will firm up even more as it cools down.
- Remove it from the heat and add in that fragrant orange blossom water, if you’re feeling fancy.
- Transfer to a wide container to cool faster. To keep the top from forming a skin, press a piece of parchment paper (or cling film) right onto the surface. Let it cool for about 30 minutes at room temperature.
Prepare the Dough:
- Grab two large pieces of parchment paper and rub them generously with orange blossom water. This prevents stickiness later on, this is a game-changer!
- Let’s make some syrup! In a pot, mix together water and sugar. Bring to a boil while stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
- Once it bubbles, reduce the heat and slowly add the semolina, stirring constantly. The mixture thickens up fast, resembling mashed potatoes.
- When it begins pulling away from the pot sides and forming dough, add your shredded cheese in 4-5 additions, stirring consistently. The secret is to make sure the dough is cooked enough before adding the cheese, this keeps it from getting too sticky!
- Once smooth and stretchy, add your orange blossom and rose water, mixing until combined. The dough should be nice and elastic.
- Pour the hot dough onto the parchment paper. Top with the second parchment paper and roll it out into a rectangle, about 2 mm thick.
- Trim any edges to create a neat rectangle, perfect for rolling later.
Roll it Up:
- Spoon cold ashta along the long edge of the dough, leaving a nice gap of about 1 cm from the edge. Gently lift the parchment and roll the dough around the ashta like a log.
- Use a sharp knife (be sure to wipe down with a paper towel after every slice!) to cut the log into equal portions of around 4 cm.
- If you find the dough is too sticky, pop it in the fridge for a bit, it helps with cutting!
Serve:
- Once you’ve got all those rolls cut, transfer them to a serving platter and sprinkle with ground pistachios. Drizzle with syrup on the side if you like!
Why I Love This Recipe
This is my go-to recipe when I need a quick and delightful dessert that feels a little indulgent but doesn’t take all day to make. Honestly, I’m a real sucker for creamy desserts and these rolls are just that! And the best part is, you can use whatever you’ve got on hand! I’ve whipped this up to use leftover bread more times than I can count. You just can’t go wrong!
If you loved this Sweet Cheese Rolls with Cream, be sure to check out my Saffron Pistachio Basbousa, my Rasmalai Tiramisu, or my Rosewater Almond Vegan Halva Bites!
Why This Recipe Works
Quick & Easy
Comes together in under 30 minutes! If you’re scrambling for dessert last minute, this is your answer.
Crowd-Pleaser
The whole family will love it! Just make sure to watch out, you might find everyone asking for seconds!
Customizable
You can swap out ingredients based on what you have. Make it your own! Whether it’s changing the flavors or even the type of cheese, have fun with it!
Budget-Friendly
Utilizes everyday ingredients that you likely have on hand or can easily get at your local grocery store.
Make-Ahead Friendly
These rolls are fantastic for meal prep! Make them ahead and just serve them later, perfect for a weeknight dinner!
Serving and Storage Tips
What to Serve With This
Pair these sweet cheese rolls with a dollop of whipped cream, fresh fruits, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar for that perfect dessert touch! Coffee or tea makes a nice drink pairing too.
How Long It Keeps
These rolls will keep in your fridge for about 3-4 days in an airtight container. They’re so good, I’m sure they’re gone before then, though!
Reheating Instructions
For the best texture, reheat in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds. You can also place them in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes if you want that fresh-out-of-the-oven feeling again.
Freezer-Friendly
Yes, you can freeze them! Just make sure to wrap them individually in parchment and then place in a resealable bag. They will last up to 1 month in the freezer. When you’re ready, just thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat as mentioned above!
Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated! I’m here to help each step of the way as we whip up these Sweet Cheese Rolls with Cream together because believe me, this delightful dessert is so worth it. Happy cooking! Follow us on Pinterest for daily meal inspiration!
Sweet Cheese Rolls with Cream
Ingredients
Method
- Place the sliced bread in a food processor and process until it turns into crumbs, or cut into small pieces.
- In a medium pot, whisk together the milk and cornstarch until lump-free.
- Incorporate sugar (if using) and heavy cream, then stir in the bread crumbs.
- Heat the mixture on medium-high until boiling for about 8 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat and stir for an additional 5 minutes until thickened.
- Remove from heat and add orange blossom water. Transfer to a container and cool for 30 minutes covered with parchment.
- Rub parchment paper with orange blossom water to prevent stickiness.
- In a pot, mix water and sugar to make syrup, bringing it to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce heat and stir in semolina until thickened.
- Once thick, add shredded cheese in increments, stirring consistently.
- Mix in orange blossom and rose water until the dough is elastic, then pour onto parchment paper.
- Roll into a 2mm thick rectangle and trim edges.
- Place cold ashta along the long edge of the dough and roll it tightly.
- Cut into equal portions of about 4 cm.
- Arrange rolls on a platter, sprinkle with ground pistachios and drizzle with syrup if desired.