Miriam’s Peaches and Custard Fillo Twist

Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

1 cup full cream milk

1 egg

3 tsp custard powder

2 tsp white sugar

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

16 sheets fillo pastry, brought to room temperature

180g butter, melted

1 jar peaches in syrup, drained

2 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

For the vanilla custard, in a small saucepan, combine the milk, egg, custard powder, white sugar and vanilla bean paste. Whisk until all the ingredients are well combined. Place the saucepan on low to medium heat, stirring continuously until it begins to simmer and thicken. The custard will be ready when it coats the back of your spoon and drops from your spoon in a dollop. Divide the custard evenly into two bowls, set aside and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Lay one sheet of fillo pastry on a clean surface and brush with butter. Place another sheet on top. From one bowl of custard, spread one third onto the fillo sheet evenly. Place a line of peach segments in a straight line down the longer length of the fillo sheet, about 10cm in from the left edge. Dust lightly with icing sugar and cinnamon. Repeat this process another two times, the second time placing the peach segments right down the centre of the pastry and the third time placing the peach segments slices to the right of the pastry, 10cm in. Placing the peaches in three separate lines ensures that there is an even spread of peaches. Place two more sheets of fillo pastry to cover the last layer of custard and peaches, buttering between each layer. You should have used 8 sheets of fillo in total.

With the long edge of the pastry facing you, roll the stack tightly to form a log. Brush the log with butter.

Create a second log using this same process.

Using a sharp knife, cut each log in half lengthwise, ensuring you cut all the way through the pastry. You will have 4 lengths in total. Place two lengths next to each other with their cut-side up. Twist the two halves together to form a plait. Transfer the plait to the baking tray, ensuring the cut side is facing up. Repeat with the remaining two lengths and transfer to the baking tray beside the first plait.

Brush the plaits liberally with butter and bake for 30 minutes, until golden and crisp. Sprinkle with icing sugar.