Ingredients
2x 375g Antoniou Fillo pastry
250g unsalted butter and 150g salted butter, melted together and clarified
For the syrup
2 cups sugar
3 cups water
2 Tbsp honey
1 cinnamon stick
8 whole cloves
3 ribbons of lemon rind
Pinch of salt
For the custard
100g butter
160g fine semolina
100g sugar
1 ribbon of lemon rind
1 litre full cream milk
1 egg
300g pitted and halved fresh cherries
For decorating
Fresh cherries
Method
Before you begin this Fillo Pastry recipe, take your Filo Pastry out of the fridge to bring it up to room temperature in its packaging.
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
To make the syrup
Place all the syrup ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir to combine, allow to boil and reduce for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool completely.
To make the Custard
Over medium to high heat, melt butter in a saucepan. Add semolina, sugar and lemon rind. Combine ingredients then add the milk, whisking continuously. Once the custard has thickened add the egg and whisk well. Stir in the fresh cherries and set aside to cool for 30 minutes.
To make the parcels
Lay out one sheet of Fillo pastry vertically and brush with butter. Place another sheet of Fillo on top and brush with butter.
Spoon 1 heaped tablespoon of the custard at the bottom right of the Fillo and 1 tablespoon at the bottom left of the fillo, leaving a 5cm border around the sides and bottom. Fold the Fillo up and over the custard, and seal by pressing down with your fingers. Fold it over again. Bring in each of the sides and fold up once more.
Crinkle the remainder of the Fillo and fold the parcel over once more so that it sits on top of the crinkled Fillo. Turn it over so the crinkled part is facing up. Use a sharp knife to cut into two parcels and use your fingers to pinch each end as tightly as possible. Repeat with remaining Fillo and custard.
Place each parcel into the large tray and brush with butter. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup over the parcels. Allow the parcels to cool to room temperature.
Arranging the wreath
Using a large round platter or cake board, arrange the parcels in a wreath design and decorate with fresh cherries.
Recipe & photography by Mary Politis from Mary’s Kouzina.
Watch how to make a Cherry Galaktoboureko Wreath