Orange Custard Ruffled Filo Pie

This week I am sharing with you a really special recipe, just in time for Mother’s Day:  an orange custard ruffled filo pie!  This dessert has layers of golden, crispy, “ruffled” sheets of buttered filo pastry, which are baked in a delicious orange custard, and drizzled with an orange simple syrup while it is still hot and just out of the oven.  This truly is Heaven on a plate!

The gorgeous appearance of this dessert might make you think that it must be too complicated to make, but, a quick look at the list of ingredients will reassure you that, beside the filo pastry, everything else on the list is simple ingredients that you most probably already have in your pantry.

Ingredients for the Orange Custard Ruffled Filo Pie

1. 1 packet of filo pastry (I used my favorite organic filo by Fillo Factory)
2. Eggs
3. Granulated Sugar
4. Orange juice and orange zest
5. Butter and vegetable oil
6. Greek yogurt
7. Vanilla extract
8. Baking powder

How to form the filo rosettes

This is a perfect recipe for novice bakers and for those who might have a fear of handling filo.  The reason is the technique for forming these little filo rosettes, by “ruffling” sheets of filo and twisting them in a spiral as in the photo below – this is something that even kids can do!  Even if the filo tears and crumbles in the process, I promise it will not show once it is baked!

The size and shape of the pan

For this recipe I use two 8″ or 9″ round cake pans.  You can, however, use one larger pan; even a square pan would work.  The recipe is easy to scale to any size you have, and of course, you can just make half the recipe if needed.

Once the little rosettes are formed, pack them into the pan, placing them close to each other but not too tightly, so there is space for the custard. What is also great about this recipe is that each rosette is a perfect individual serving!

This is a fun version of the traditional Greek dessert called portokalopita.  The ruffled strips of filo can also be placed in a spiral form starting at the center of the pan and then continuing to wind the filo pleats around the first one, until the bottom of the pan is completely filled.

When the filo rosettes are ready, they get one last brushing with the melted butter and are ready for the oven.

The delicious orange custard

While the pan is in the oven, we can make the orange custard by simply whisking the eggs with the granulated sugar and then adding the orange zest, oil, baking powder, vanilla extract and Greek yogurt.  This can also be done ahead of time; even the day before!

The custard is poured in between and over the crispy filo rosettes and then baked again.  In a sense, it is almost like making bread putting, the only difference is that in this case we pour the custard over the baked filo instead of over bread!

The aromatic orange syrup

When the custard is baked with the crispy filo, magic happens and a highly aromatic pan of ruffled filo rosettes emerges from the oven.

As if this was not good enough on its own, a simple orange syrup is then drizzled over the top when it comes our of the oven. Then all we have to do is wait for a few minutes for it to cool slightly and for the syrup to be absorbed before we can dig in!

A perfect dessert for any occasion!

This is a recipe you need to have in your repertoire, not only for Mother’s Day, but also to serve as part of a weekend brunch, as a special afternoon treat, or, to bring to large gathering.  It is a show-stopping dessert and everybody will probably think that you labored over it for hours, but nobody needs to know that you actually did not! 

This delicious recipe is another collaboration with my friends at  Fillo Factory. I find their filo dough and puff pastry at Whole Foods, but smaller local stores carry them too.  I love the quality of the Fillo Factory products and I always make sure to stash a couple of boxes in the freezer!

5.0 from 4 reviews

Orange Custard Ruffled Filo Pie

 

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Prep time

1 hour

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 50 mins

 

A lovely Greek dessert with crispy filo rosettes and a delicious orange custard!

Author: Marilena Leavitt

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Greek

Serves: 18

Ingredients

• For the simple orange syrup:
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• --- --- orange peel, cut into ½-inch strips about 3-inches long each
• For the filo pastry:
• 1, 16 oz. packet thin filo dough, at room temperature
• 3-4 oz. butter, melted
• For the custard:
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 lg. eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• --- --- zest of one orange
• 4 oz. plain Greek yogurt

Instructions

1. To prepare the simple syrup, place all ingredients in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed skillet and boil gently for about 5 minutes, or, until the syrup is reduced and you have 2 cups of orange syrup remaining. Remove from heat and let it cool completely (this can be done ahead of time).
2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.
3. Line two, 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans with two large sheets of parchment paper, creasing them every now and them and making sure they fit well into the bottom and up the sides of the pans. (I use clips to help them stay in place).
4. Place the stack of filo sheets (13” x 18”) on a cutting board, with the widest side in front of you. Each stack is about 18-20 sheets of filo. With a sharp knife, cut the stack vertically through the center. You will now have two stacks of filo, each 13” x 9”. Cover one of these stacks with a piece of wax paper or plastic wrap, followed by a clean kitchen towel, and set it aside.
5. Place the second stack of filo in front of you, so the 13” side is in front of you. Take one filo sheet and place it on the counter next to your cutting board. Lightly butter it with the melted butter. Place a second one on top of the first and brush it with butter as well. (Keep the rest of the stack of filo covered, as above, while you work). Using your fingers, scrunch it into a loose pleated strip. Form a loose spiral and place it in the middle of the prepared pan. Repeat this with the remaining filo sheets of the first stack, making 8 more filo spirals and placing them close and tight in the pan. Then, do the same with the second stack of filo and the second cake pan, so you have a total of 9 filo spirals in each pan.
6. Brush the top of the spirals with some more butter and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until the filo is lightly brown and crisp.
7. While the pans are in the oven, prepare the custard. In a large bowl, cream the sugar and the eggs. Add the oil, the baking powder, the vanilla, and the orange zest. To that mixture, fold in the yogurt and set aside (this step can also be done ahead of time).
8. Remove the pans from the oven. Pour half of the orange custard mixture between the and over the spirals in the first pan and half between and over the spirals in the second pan. Return the pans to the oven and bake the rosettes for another 20 minutes, or, until the custard has set in the middle.
9. Remove the pans from the oven and pour the cooled orange syrup evenly over the hot filo ruffles. Wait for at least fifteen minutes, until the filo slightly cools and the syrup is mostly absorbed before you serve.

Notes

You can refrigerate the leftovers for three to four days, if they even last that long!

The recipe can be easily halved to make just one pan of 8-9 filo ruffles.

Whether you use salted or unsalted butter for brushing the filo is purely a matter of choice.

3.5.3240

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