Bougatsa me Krema

Ingredients

• 1 litre whole milk
• 180 g caster sugar
• 120 g fine semolina
• 3 large eggs
• 50 g butter, for the custard
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Peel of 1 lemon, in wide strips
• Pinch of salt
• 10 sheets of filo pastry
• 150 g butter, melted, for brushing
• 3 tbsp icing sugar, to finish
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon, to finish

Before you cook

• Take the filo out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead and keep it wrapped until needed
• Melt the 150 g of butter for brushing
• Pare the lemon peel in wide strips, avoiding the white pith
• Beat the eggs in a small bowl
• Butter a 30 by 22 centimetre baking tin

Steps

1. Pour the milk into a heavy saucepan and add the sugar and lemon peel.
2. Warm the milk over medium heat until it steams and small bubbles gather at the edges.
3. Fish out the lemon peel and discard it.
4. Rain the semolina into the milk in a thin stream while whisking without stopping.
5. Cook the custard for 6 to 8 minutes, whisking constantly, until it thickens enough to hold the trail of the whisk.
6. Take the pan off the heat and beat in the 50 grams of butter, the vanilla and the salt.
7. Let the custard cool for 10 minutes, stirring now and then so no skin forms.
8. Beat the eggs into the warm custard vigorously, a little at a time, so they thicken it rather than scramble.
9. Press cling film directly onto the surface and leave the custard until it is barely warm.
10. Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
11. Lay a sheet of filo in the buttered tin, letting the edges hang over the sides, and brush it with melted butter.
12. Repeat with four more sheets, buttering each one and turning the tin slightly so the overhang falls in different directions.
13. Spoon the cooled custard into the tin and level it with a spatula.
14. Fold the overhanging filo back over the custard and brush it with butter.
15. Lay the remaining five sheets on top one at a time, buttering each and tucking the edges down inside the tin.
16. Brush the top generously with the last of the butter.
17. Score the top layers into eight rectangles with a sharp knife, cutting only through the pastry and not into the custard.
18. Flick a little cold water across the surface with your fingers to help the filo blister.
19. Bake for 45 minutes until the top is deep golden and crackles when tapped.
20. Let the bougatsa cool for 20 minutes so the custard sets enough to cut.
21. Cut through the scored lines, then dust heavily with icing sugar and cinnamon just before serving.