FILO ROLLS FILLED WITH CREAMY CUSTARD (SWEET BOUGATSA)

Filo Rolls Filled with Creamy Custard (Sweet Bougatsa) image

A traditional Greek dessert made with crispy filo pastry and a delicious orange custard.

Provided by Marilena Leavitt

Time 1h15m

Yield 14

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

For the Filo Rolls:
4 cups whole milk (I use 2%)
--- zest of one medium orange
¼ cup butter
⅔ cup fine semolina
⅔ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract (or vanilla paste)
2 lrg. eggs
2 lrg. egg yolks
1 lb. filo dough, defrosted overnight (I use Organic Fillo Factory)
--- --- melted butter (for brushing on the filo)
For the Topping:
--- --- Confectioner's sugar
--- --- ground cinnamon

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.