A delicious Lebanese dessert made with buttery filo pastry filled with a citrusy creamy filling drizzled in a tasty sticky syrup.
Easy to make well in advanced to impress all your friends and family.
For the pastry.
1 pack filo dough
125g butter
3 tbsp sunflower seed oil / or any neutral oil
For the filling.
384g milk
128g cream
85g corn flour
76g sugar
1tbsp rose water
1 1/2tbsp orange blossom water
For the sugar syrup.
256g sugar
128g fresh orange juice / plus all the zest from the oranges
Juice of 1 lemon
( I used blood oranges for the sugar syrup in the photo. It was absolutely delicious. )
Pre heat oven to 190°c.
Start the recipe by making the creamy filling. Combine all the filling mix ingredients and mix well with a whisk until all dissolved.
Bring to boil on medium heat while whisking most of the time. You do not want lumpy texture, you want a smooth, silky creamy texture.
Once the cream filling starts to bubble and thickens up, turn down the heat and continue whisking for another minute.
Take off the heat and pour the mixture into a dish, cover with plastic wrap and let it cool for about 30 minutes.
While you are waiting for the filling to cool, prepare the sugar syrup.
In a pot bring the sugar, zest and juice to boil for about 5 minutes then let it cool down.
While filling and sugar syrup is cooling prepare the filo dough.
Melt the butter and oil. Do not over heat.
Place the flat sheet of filo dough on a board or clean kitchen counter. Brush the butter mixture on the surface of the sheet, and repeat to stack 6 to 12 sheets on top of each other.
Cut the sheet into even squares. Spoon a whole table spoon of the filling mixture in the middle and fold to close. Repeat the process for the rest of the sheets.
Place the pastries pre lined tray with grease proof paper. Bake at 190°c oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Once golden brown remove from the oven and drizzle them with the sugar syrup.
Cool these down before serving and enjoy.
I serve these with a few chopped pistachios and some orange segments.