Lemon Semolina Custard In Phyllo Food

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.

GALAKTOBOUREKO - GREEK SEMOLINA CUSTARD BARS

Steps:

• In large saucepan, heat milk to just below boiling.
• Remove and set aside.
• In a bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar and semolina until pale yellow.
• Whisk in milk.
• Return mixture to clean saucepan and set over low heat.
• Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard thickens and comes away from sides of the pan, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in vanilla and lemon zest: set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• Lay half the phyllo sheets in pan, brushing each one with butter before putting it in the pan, and letting them come partially up the sides.
• Do not butter last layer.
• Pour custard over phyllo, taking care not to disturb the pastry.
• Gently smooth with a spatula.
• Lay remaining phyllo over custard, brushing each layer with butter.
• Carefully tuck excess phyllo into sides of pan.
• With a sharp knife, score top few layers into 3-inch squares.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes until golden.
• Lower temperature if it browns too quickly.
• While pastry bakes, combine water, sugar and lemon zest in heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until it lightly coats a spoon.
• Remove pastry and cut though score marks to bottom of pan.
• Let cool completely then pour on hot syrup and serve.

GALAKTABOUREKO-GREEK SEMOLINA CUSTARD BAKED IN PHYLLO

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk 5 cups of milk with the sugar and bring almost to a boil. Whisk in the semolina. Bring to a boil, whisking, then cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until incorporated. Cool for 5 minutes, then stir in the vanilla, the remaining 1 cup of milk, and the eggs, mixing thoroughly. Cool, cover with plastic or waxed paper, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Place the sugar, cinnamon, water, zest, and juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, for about 10 minutes, until the syrup thickens and coats a spoon. Remove the cinnamon stick.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• In a small bowl, mix together the almonds, bread crumbs, and sugar. Line the baking pan with 8 sheets of phyllo, one sheet at a time (each sheet should overlap its neighbors by an inch or so). Brush each sheet with butter and sprinkle lightly with the almond mixture. The pastry edges should overlap the entire perimeter of the pan. Pour in the cooled custard, spreading evenly, and fold the pastry edges over the custard.
• Arrange 8 phyllo sheets over the top of the custard, leaf by leaf, brushing with butter and sprinkling with almond mixture as before. Trim the edges to 1 inch and fold them inward, tucking them down inside the pan. Brush the top with butter and score diagonally with the tip of a sharp knife in two directions, to make diamond-shaped slits in the pastry. Sprinkle the top with water (about 3 tablespoons) and bake for 15 minutes, then lower the heat to 325°F and bake 45 more minutes.
• When the top is golden brown and flaky, remove from the oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup over the pastry. Let the custard set until cool, then cut into pieces and serve.
• Semolina is durum wheat that is more coarsely ground than other flours. It is the primary ingredient in the best pasta and in couscous, and it's also popular as porridge. It gives cakes a heartier, more substantial texture.

LEMON CUSTARD PHYLLO CUPS

Steps:

• For Custard:
• Whisk sugar, cornstarch and salt in heavy medium saucepan to blend. Gradually whisk in 1 cup cold water and lemon juice. Whisk until sugar and cornstarch dissolve. Whisk in egg and lemon peel. Add butter. Whisk over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring. Transfer custard to bowl. Press plastic onto surface of custard and cool to room temperature.
• For Phyllo Cups:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray eight 1/3-cup muffin cups with vegetable oil spray. Stack 4 phyllo sheets into six 4-inch squares, forming total of 24 squares. Press 1 phyllo square into each cup (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap and damp towel). Using pastry brush, dab phyllo in a few places with melted butter. Press another phyllo square atop first phyllo square, with corners at different angles. Sprinkle phyllo cups with sugar.
• Bake until phyllo is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and cool cups from muffin tin. (Custard and phyllo cups can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate custard. Store phyllo cups in airtight containers.)
• Spoon some of custard into each of 4 cups (save remaining custard and cups for another use). Sift powdered sugar over edges of phyllo. Garnish with mint sprigs. Arrange on plates.

SEMOLINA CUSTARD TART WITH HONEYED PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Make the honeyed pine nuts: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine nuts and honey in a small bowl. Spread in a single layer on a Silpat-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes, until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes total. Season with salt. Let cool completely on sheet on a wire rack. Break honeyed nuts into 1/4-inch pieces with your fingers. (Nut pieces can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.)
• Make the tart: Whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Bring milk, lemon zest, 1 cup granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon butter to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove lemon zest. Add semolina flour in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Pour 1/3 of the semolina mixture into the eggs in a slow, steady stream, whisking slowly and constantly. Pour egg mixture back into saucepan with remaining semolina mixture. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl. Let cool, uncovered, until ready to use.
• Stir together cinnamon with remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Melt remaining 2 sticks butter in a small saucepan. Using a pastry brush, coat a 9-inch springform pan with some of the melted butter.
• Place phyllo on work surface, and cover with a damp cloth. Place 1 phyllo sheet in the pan, with 1 corner of the sheet in the center. Press sheet gently against the pan, letting overhang drape over the edge. Repeat with 2 more sheets, overlapping them so the pan is completely covered and overhang extends from all edges. Brush generously with butter and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar. Repeat 2 more times, using 6 more sheets, brushing each layer with butter and sprinkling each layer with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar.
• Pour cooled custard into phyllo-lined pan. Fold 1 sheet of overhang over custard, and brush with butter. Repeat with remaining overhang, working 1 sheet at a time. Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar over the top.
• Brush butter on top of each of the remaining 6 phyllo sheets. Gently crumple each sheet, and arrange it evenly over the cake to cover. Pierce cake all over with a skewer. Place on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully remove sides of pan. Let stand until just warm, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the syrup: Bring honey, water, and lemon zest to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring once or twice, until mixture is runny, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and let stand until just warm. Remove zest when ready to use. (Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 month; reheat over medium heat until warm.)
• Sprinkle nuts and confectioners' sugar on top of cake. Cut into slices, and divide among serving plates. Serve warm with a drizzle of syrup.