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Recipe Detail Page
Custard-filled Phyllo Tarts with Orange Spice Syrup
Early Summer 2002
This is a mouth-watering version of the Greek dessert Galatboureko. It is a custard that is set with cream of wheat (farina as it is called in Greece) instead of flour. The texture is quite different from other custards, thicker and less smooth. The syrup poured over the baked dessert gives it a sweet, spiced flavour.
Serves 10
4 cups (1 L) milk
¼ cup (50 mL) butter
¾ cup (175 mL) sugar
½ cup (125 mL) cream of wheat
5 eggs
¼ cup (50 mL) orange juice
2 tsp (10 mL) vanilla
10 sheets phyllo
½ cup (125 mL) melted butter for brushing phyllo
Orange Syrup
1½ cups (375 mL) sugar
½ cup (125 mL) water
One 3-inch (8-cm) cinnamon stick
4 cloves
One 2-inch (5-cm) piece orange peel
One 2-inch (5-cm) piece lemon peel
2 tbsp (25 mL) Grand Marnier
Topping
1 tbsp (15 mL) icing sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
2. In a large pot on medium heat, bring milk, butter and sugar to boil. Whisking constantly, slowly add cream of wheat in a thin stream. Continue to whisk until mixture thickens and comes back to boil. Remove from heat and cool.
3. In a large bowl whisk eggs, orange juice and vanilla until well incorporated. Slowly whisk into cream of wheat mixture. Set aside to cool.
4. Butter a 9 x 13-inch (3-L) rectangular baking pan. Lay in one sheet of phyllo in pan so that there is a 2-inch (5-cm) overhang on one side. Butter and repeat with 4 more sheets, making sure the whole pan is covered completely and there is overhang on all sides. Spoon in custard.
5. Butter 1 sheet of phyllo and lay on top of custard, completely covering it. Trim sheet to fit the pan. Fold over overhang and butter. Top with another 4 sheets buttered phyllo and trim to fit. With scissors or a sharp straight-edged knife cut the top of phyllo into squares or diamond shapes without cutting through the filling.
6. Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F (160°C) and bake for 30 minutes longer or until pastry is golden.
7. To make syrup, place all ingredients in a medium pot. Bring to boil and simmer 8 minutes or until mixture forms a syrup. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
8. When pie comes out of oven, place on rack. Let cool for 10 minutes. Strain half of hot syrup over pastry and when it is absorbed, pour remaining syrup over. Cool completely. Mix together icing sugar and cinnamon. Place in strainer and sieve over dessert.
9. Using the original cuts, cut pie into pieces.
Serves 10
