Sütlü Börek

Beautiful, buttery, flaky, syrupy, semolina custard-filled sütlü börek, which basically means “milky pastry.” What an absolute treat. 

Sütlü Börek 

Makes 15-18 sütlü börek

For the syrup

1 large cinnamon stick 

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 

300ml water 

280g caster sugar 

2 tbsp honey 

1 1/2 tbsp rose water 

For the semolina custard 

800ml whole or semi-skimmed milk

120g fine semolina 

150ml caster sugar 

1 egg, whisked 

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional, or just a pinch if you prefer)

For the börek 

One pack of filo (10-12 sheets)

150g butter, melted

2 tbsp vegetable based oil

To serve 

Crushed almonds or pistachios, icing sugar 

METHOD 

Syrup 

Add all of the syrup ingredients to a small pan on a medium heat. Stir occasionally and reduce down for 10-15 mins until syrup has thickened and reduced down by about a 1/4. Leave to one side to cool.

In a small separate pan melt the butter. 

Custard

For the custard, add the milk to a medium sized pan and start to warm up on a medium heat. 

When the milk has warmed up a little, add a couple of ladlefuls of it to the bowl with the whisked egg and whisk the two ingredients together very quickly - this will stop the egg scrambling when you add it to the custard mixture a little later. Leave to one side while the pan of milk continues to heat up. 

Add the fine semolina, sugar and pinch of cinnamon to the warmed milk and whisk continuously until the mixture starts to thicken. Once it starts to bubble a little more and starts thickening up, take it off the heat. It doesn’t need to boil, but it does need to thicken. Very quickly and vigourously whisk the whisked egg and milk mixture into the custard and keep whisking for a good couple of minutes so that the egg is fully amalgamated into the custard mixture. 

Leave the custard to one side to cool (I pour mine into a shallow dish so that it cools quicker and whisk it every couple of minutes to stop a skin forming on top). 

Börek 

Now we’re ready to assemble the sütlü börek.

Add the vegetable oil to your melted butter. Brush your deep baking tray with a little of the butter mixture.

Preheat your oven to 170C fan / 190C conventional. 

On a clean surface, lay all the layers of filo in front of you horizontally and either cut vertically straight down the middle for large Börek, or in thirds vertically for slightly smaller ones like I have done on my YouTube video. 

Take two cut strips of filo, lay the remaining layers on top of each other and leave to one side, covered with a tea towel to prevent from drying out. 

Brush the first layer of filo with the butter mixture, lay the next layer on top, brush with a little more of the butter, then add a heaped dessert spoon of the cooled custard mixture to the top of the filo closest to you. Bring in the long sides of the filo a little, then start folding down the filo into small rectangular parcel shapes. 

Don’t fold them up too tightly otherwise they could burst and split open. Place in your baking tray.

Repeat the process with the remaining sheets of filo. 

Once all the Börek have been prepared and assembled in the tray, pop them in the oven on the middle shelf for 30-40 minutes until fully golden brown (I usually leave mine in for 40 minutes but all ovens vary). 

Take out of the oven, then immediately pour over the cooled syrup so it sizzles vigorously. Sprinkle a little of the ground nuts into each Börek. 

Allow to cool fully IN THE TRAY before serving, for at least 4-6 hours, or even overnight. Dust wish icing sugar before serving. 

Even better the next day or day after (stored in the fridge). 

N.B. Make them vegan. Most filo pastry is vegan so omit the egg from the custard (it will still thicken and set because of the semolina, just add another 10g semolina), use oat or almond milk as a milk alternative, and a vegatable based spread instead of butter, and agave syrup instead of honey. Bosh.