This dessert is sure to impress while being very simple and straightforward to make. The fillo cinnamon rolls will have a crispy top and soft bottom, much like the center of a sticky bun. The custard that holds it together has a mild sweet flavor. The cream cheese icing is the perfect finish—all in all, a delicious dish perfect for dessert or a Sunday brunch.
On the Ingredients
- Filo also called Fillo or phyllo, filo is very thin, unleaded dough made from flour, water, and a small amount of oil. It’s used widely in Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisine. In the US, it’s probably best known for making baklava and Spanakopita. Because the sheets themselves are vegan, it’s a great alternative to puff pastry for many recipes, especially appetizers. Generally, the sheets are stuck together using butter or oil. After baking, it becomes extremely crisp and flaky.
- Cinnamon: There are over three hundred species of trees in the Cinnamomum genus, but only a couple are used to cultivate the popular spice. Ceylon cinnamon is often called “true cinnamon,” but the far more common variety is cassia. Both are derived from the inner bark of their perspective trees.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
You can also fill the rolls with a fruit spread or jelly.
Fillo Cinnamon Roll Custard Cake
This dessert is sure to impress while being very simple and straightforward to make. The fillo cinnamon rolls will have a crispy top and soft bottom, much like the center of a sticky bun. The custard that holds it together has a mild sweet flavor. The cream cheese icing is the perfect finish—all in all, a delicious dish perfect for dessert or a Sunday brunch.
Ingredients
- Fillo Cinnamon Rolls
1 lb box of fillo dough 13x18” sheets
1 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
- Custard Ingredients
1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- Icing
4 oz cream cheese (softened)
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
milk
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a loaf pan and set aside. Remove the fillo from the box and carefully unroll it. It’s okay if you get a few breaks in the sheets, as they will be stuck together with butter. Set the fillo to the side of your workspace and cover them with a damp towel so they do not dry out while you work. Mix together 1/2 cup sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon and set next to a container with the melted butter.
- Carefully take one sheet of fillo, and using a pastry brush, brush the full surface with melted butter. It doesn’t have to be soppy, just dampened. Sprinkle the surface with the cinnamon and sugar. Fold the fillo into thirds lengthwise and roll it into a cigar shape. Place the cigar in the loaf pan, standing up so the spiral faces upwards. Repeat with all the fillo sheets and fill the loaf pan with the rolls. Brush the tops with a little more butter and bake for 25 minutes.
- Beat together the custard ingredients. Take the loaf pan from the oven and pour the custard mixture over the fillo rolls. Return to the oven and bake for 30-45 minutes until the custard is set. Let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then turn it out onto a cutting board. Use the cutting board to invert it onto a serving plate so the spiraled top is facing upwards. Beat together the cream cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Add in milk until you have an icing thin enough to pour. Drizzle the icing over the custard cake and serve warm.
