Custard Filled Filo Recipes

BOUGATSA - CRISPY FILO PASTRY FILLED WITH WARM CUSTARD CREAM

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl whisk together the eggs and cornstarch. Set aside.
• In a cooking pot add milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Heat over medium-high heat.
• Once milk reaches a boiling point remove from heat. Using a ladle, start pouring milk slowly, into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
• Incorporate half the milk into the eggs and then transfer the mixture back to the pot.
• Transfer pot back to the heat and keep whisking until cream thickens.
• Set cream aside while you prepare the base.
• Preheat oven to 200°C / 392°F.
• Lay open the filo stack on your working surface.
• Grease a 15x10 inch / 38x25 cm baking dish with melted butter.
• Take one filo sheet and gather it up together (to make it look wavy) to the corner of the dish. Repeat process with 4 more filo sheets to cover the whole bottom of the dish.
• Drizzle using the ⅓ of the melted butter.
• Bake filo for 5 minutes or until it gets a golden color all over on top.
• Remove from the oven and spread the cream evenly on top.
• Add the remaining filo sheets exactly the same way as you did for the base. You may tear a filo sheet apart in order to fill empty spaces.
• Drizzle remaining butter on top.
• Bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until filo looks crispy and deep golden in color.
• Set pastry aside for 10-15 minutes.
• Dust with plenty of icing sugar and cinnamon. Ready to cut and serve!

FILO ROLLS FILLED WITH CREAMY CUSTARD (SWEET BOUGATSA)

Steps:

• Warm the milk in a saucepan and add the orange zest. Bring to a simmer and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium pot. Stir in the semolina and mix with a wooden spoon until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the orange-infused hot milk, mixing well until thoroughly blended. Next, add the sugar and stir well until the mixture is slightly thickened. Stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat. Off heat, stir the mixture occasionally to keep the custard from forming a skin. Allow the custard to cool slightly.
• Beat the eggs and egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Add to the pot and mix well to combine - the mixture should have the consistency of a pudding. Cover well with plastic wrap and set the mixture aside until ready to use (at this point you can refrigerate it for up to four days for later use).
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Open the box of filo and unwrap the sheets. Place on a work surface and cut the whole stack of filo sheets in half so that you are left with rectangular pieces, which measure approximately 9 x 13 inches.
• Lay 3 sheets of filo one on top of each other, brushing melted butter between each sheet. As you lay the sheets down, keep the shorter end facing you. Then, place about ⅓ cup of the custard mixture in the bottom center of the filo stack, approximately 1.5" from the edges. Fold the bottom edge of the filo over the custard and then fold in each of the sides, so the custard is fully covered by the filo. Flip the filo and custard over and away from you and brush the top with a little melted butter. Continue folding the strip of filo until you reach the end of your rectangle. At this point, tuck the end piece under the rest of the rolled filo and brush the top with butter. With the help of a spatula, transfer the filo roll to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until you have filled as many rolls as you want.
• Bake in middle rack of the oven for approximately 12-15 minutes or until light, golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly on a baking rack. Dust with cinnamon and powdered sugar and enjoy while still a little warm.

LEMON SEMOLINA CUSTARD IN PHYLLO

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, and lemon zest. Bring to a simmer over low heat. Whisk in semolina, and cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in eggs, one at a time. Return saucepan to heat, and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 to 40 seconds, to cook the eggs. Remove custard from heat, and let cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt remaining 2 sticks butter with olive oil; use some of this mixture to brush an 8-inch round nonstick springform baking pan. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
• Stack phyllo on a work surface, cover with parchment paper, and top with a damp kitchen towel. Working with one sheet of phyllo at a time, place one of the corners into the center of the pan and gently press the dough so that it fits tightly in the pan. Lay the corner of the second sheet of phyllo into the center of the pan, slightly overlapping the first sheet of phyllo. Press the second sheet tightly into the pan. Lay a third sheet of phyllo in the same manner, covering the remainder of the pan (one layer of dough is now completed). Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo with a generous amount of the butter mixture. Lightly sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
• Place three more sheets of phyllo into the pan in the same manner, brushing with the butter mixture and sprinkling with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat process again with the remaining 3 sheets of phyllo (you will now have completed three layers). Fill phyllo-lined pan with custard; spread evenly.
• Working with one layer at a time, fold phyllo sheets toward the center of the pan. Brush generously with the butter mixture and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat folding, buttering, and sprinkling until all layers have been folded toward the center. Do not sprinkle the top layer as the cinnamon-sugar mixture may burn and darken the pastry. Prick all over with a fork, and bake, on a Silpat-lined baking sheet, until golden brown, about 1 hour.
• Combine remaining tablespoon of cinnamon with the confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle over the surface of the phyllo when removed from oven. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

BOUGATSA (GREEK CREAM-FILLED PHYLLO PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Beat eggs until frothy; beat in sugar until thick and foamy, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat milk in medium pot until hot but not boiling.
• Remove from heat and whisk into egg mixture in a thin stream until all the milk mixture is used up - never stop whisking.
• Pour custard mixture back into pot and set on medium-low heat; cook, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes.
• Gradually sprinkle in semolina, letting it flow out of your hand in a thin stream; add a pinch of salt.
• Reduce heat to very low, cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth, about 5-6 minutes. Whisk in pieces of cut up butter, incorporating completely into the semolina custard.
• Remove, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and cool completely.
• When cool, stir in juice, lemon zest and vanilla.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Unroll one sheet of phyllo, keeping remainder covered with dampened kitchen towel.
• Place on a work surface, with narrow end facing you.
• Brush lightly with melted butter.
• Place 3 tbsp of custard on lower 1/3 of phyllo.
• Using a thin, flexible spatula, spread custard into a wide rectangle, approximately 10x5 inches, nearly covering lower third of phyllo.
• Fold right and left sides of phyllo towards center so that edges just meet; lightly brush folded sides with butter.
• Fold lower third up and brush with butter.
• Fold upper third down and brush with butter.
• It should now look like an envelope.
• Place on a lightly buttered baking sheet and repeat envelope-making procedure 7-9 more times (depending on how many bougatsa you are making).
• Brush tops of bougatsa with any remaining butter and bake until golden-brown, about 15-18 minutes.
• Let cool 20 minutes before serving.
• Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar (you should see a coating of the icing sugar) and cinnamon.

HONEY CUSTARD FILLED PHYLLO TRIANGLES WITH STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Mix strawberries, wine and 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, 3 tablespoons honey and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Mix in cream, egg, vanilla. Spoon mixture into 9 inch glass pie dish. Bake until custard is set, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
• Combine butter and remaining 2 tablespoons honey in small saucepan. Stir over low heat until butter melts and honey dissolves. Remove from heat. Arrange 1 phyllo sheet on work surface with long side parallel to edge of surface (cover remainder with plastic wrap and damp kitchen towel). Brush lower half of phyllo lengthwise with butter mixture. Fold phyllo in half lengthwise. Brush with butter mixture. Spoon 1/8 of custard mixture near 1 short edge of phyllo. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon almonds. Fold 1 corner of phyllo over custard; continue folding as for flag, forming triangle and enclosing filling completely. Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, custard and almonds.
• Transfer pastries to buttered baking sheet. Brush pastries with remaining butter mixture. Bake until golden brown, about 18 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with sliced strawberries and juices.

CUSTARD FILLED FILO

Steps:

• DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bring the milk to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan and slowly whisk in the semolina. Reduce the heat and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until light and whisk in the sugar. Temper the egg mixture by slowly adding it to the hot milk mixture and whisking constantly. Stir in the liqueur, vanilla extract and orange zest. Cover with a piece of plastic directly on the surface of the custard to keep a skin from forming as it cools. Brush 1 sheet of phyllo with melted butter; fold into thirds. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the custard on one corner of the phyllo strip and fold over to make a triangle; continue folding end-over-end, as a flag. Place the triangle on a cookie sheet and brush the top with butter. Repeat this process with remaining phyllo sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, cinnamon and ground nuts. Serve warm.

LAVENDER GALAKTOBOUREKO (CUSTARD-FILLED PHYLLO)

Steps:

• To clarify butter, place in a small saucepan, and melt over medium heat until bubbling. Remove pan from heat, and cool, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a spoon, carefully skim the milky foam from the top of the butter, and discard. Carefully pour the skimmed butter into another bowl, leaving behind the milk solids and discarding; set clarified butter aside.
• To make syrup, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir in honey. Bring to a boil, and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and stir in brandy, lemon juice, orange juice, and zest; set aside to cool.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-by-8-inch Pyrex or metal baking dish. Heat milk in a medium saucepan until hot but not boiling. Add lavender flowers, cover, and let steep about20 minutes. Strain and return milk to saucepan. Whisk remaining 1/2 cup sugar and semolina into milk. Place over medium-low heat, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thick and creamy, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool slightly.
• Beat the eggs by hand, or in an electric mixer until pale and creamy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Quickly pour the eggs into the semolina mixture, stirring constantly. Let mixture cool before assembling pastry.
• Layer 8 sheets of phyllo pastry in baking dish, brushing with clarified butter between each layer and overhanging the edge of the baking dish. Spread semolina mixture over the phyllo, and top with 6 more sheets of phyllo, brushing with butter between each sheet. Fold over the edges of phyllo, and brush top with butter. Cut 2 sheets of phyllo into shreds and toss in a bowl with some of the butter until coated. Sprinkle over top of pastry. Bake until phyllo is golden brown and filling is set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from oven, and immediately pour 1/4 cup of cooled syrup over the top, making sure it is evenly distributed. Let cool, and serve, if desired, with remaining syrup.