Phyllo Crinkle Dessert (Muakacha)

Ingredients

• 16 oz phyllo dough sheets (Fully thawed but still chilled)
• 1 cup butter (Melted and divided; 2 tablespoons for brushing the pan and 1 cup for drizzling over the phyllo)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar (Divided; 1 cup for the custard and 1 cup for the syrup)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 0.75 cup water (For the simple syrup)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (For the simple syrup)
• 0.333 cup pistachios (Finely crushed, for topping; optional according to the body text)

Steps

1. 1

   Defrost the phyllo dough in the refrigerator overnight, or according to the package instructions. Keep it chilled once thawed.

2. 2

   Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush a 13-by-9-inch metal baking pan with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter.

3. 3

   Keep the phyllo covered with a lightly damp towel while working so the sheets do not dry out.

4. 4

   Stack 2 sheets of phyllo together. Hold the corners at the shorter end horizontally and fold the sheets accordion-style, scrunching them into folds about 1 inch thick until you reach the opposite end.

5. 5

   Place the scrunched phyllo along the edge of the baking pan with the same width, keeping the folds facing upward. Repeat with the remaining phyllo until the pan is full. Lightly adjust or fluff the accordions so they fill the pan loosely rather than forming dense folds.

6. 6

   Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.

7. 7

   Remove the pan from the oven and evenly drizzle 1 cup of the melted butter over the phyllo.

8. 8

   Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.

9. 9

   Meanwhile, make the custard. Add the milk, eggs, 1 cup of the sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon to a large measuring container with a spout. Whisk until fully incorporated.

10. 10

    Remove the crinkle from the oven and pour the custard evenly over the top.

11. 11

    Return the pan to the oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is golden and crispy. Watch carefully so the top does not over-brown.

12. 12

    Toward the end of the final bake, make the simple syrup. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the remaining 1 cup sugar, the water, and the lemon juice. Whisk to combine, then heat to a gentle simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until the syrup is thick like maple syrup.

13. 13

    As soon as the crinkle is done baking, drizzle the warm syrup evenly over the top. Sprinkle the crushed pistachios over the dessert.

14. 14

    Allow the dessert to cool completely to room temperature before cutting it into squares and serving.

Notes

Use two phyllo sheets per crinkle: using more can prevent the folds from becoming crisp, while using only one can make them overly crisp and prone to over-browning. Whole milk is recommended for the best custard consistency, though 2% milk can be used. Do not confuse phyllo dough with puff pastry. The simple syrup should be slightly thick; the body text notes that a 2:1 sugar-to-water ratio can be used for a sweeter syrup.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• baked
• Middle Eastern
• vegetarian
• crispy
• custard
• holiday
• brunch