Ingredients
Makes 16-20 cigars
375g Antoniou Fillo Pastry
110g skinless hazelnuts
5 egg yolks
3/4 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup corn flour
4 cups full cream milk
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
125g unsalted butter, melted and clarified
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.
Place hazelnuts on a flat baking tray and roast for 10 minutes. Allow them to cool and then chop them finely.
Reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees Celsius fan forced.
To make the custard
In a bowl combine the egg yolks and sugar and whisk until well combined. Add the corn flour and whisk again until all the ingredients are incorporated. Set aside.
In a saucepan, warm the milk but do not let it boil. Stir in the vanilla bean paste. Pour half of the milk carefully into the egg mixture and whisk quickly to avoid scrambling. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining milk over medium heat. Whisk continuously until the custard forms and thickens. Stir through the hazelnuts. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the custard to avoid a skin forming.
To make & assemble the cigars
Using a single sheet of pastry per cigar, lay it out flat and brush with butter. Fold the Fillo pastry in half lengthways and brush with butter. Roll the Fillo around the cylinder (not too tight) then apply pressure on both ends of the pastry to give the cigar its crinkled look. Lay the cylinders on a lined baking tray and brush with more butter. Bake for approximately 20-30 minutes or until golden. Allow the cigars to completely cool. Carefully remove the cylinders with a firm yet gentle grip around the Fillo, it helps to turn the cylinder as you slowly pull it out.
Place the custard in a piping bag and pipe custard into the cigars.
Recipe, photography and video by Mary Politis from Mary’s Kouzina.
Video Music: iksonmusic - Views
Watch how to make Hazelnut Custard Fillo Cigars