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Laz böreği
Custard-filled filo pie in syrup
Laz böreği: Rize's custard-filled filo pie soaked in light syrup
Ask for something sweet in a Rize pastry shop and you are likely to be handed a square of Laz böreği, a crisp filo pie layered with butter and filled with a thick, vanilla-scented milk custard, then drenched in cool syrup as it leaves the oven. It is a wedding and holiday dessert in Laz villages, and an everyday treat with tea in town. The top shatters, the middle is soft and creamy, and the syrup keeps it fresh for a couple of days. Common mistake: pouring hot syrup on a hot pie, which makes the pastry soggy; one of the two must be cool. Chef's tip: cook the custard until it holds a trail for a few seconds, then cover the surface with cling film so no skin forms before you layer it.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the syrup
- 14 oz sugar
- 1 ¾ cups water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the custard
- 4 ¼ cups whole milk
- 5 ½ oz sugar
- 2 ⅛ oz plain flour
- 1 ⅜ oz rice flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ oz butter
For the pastry
- 1 ⅛ lb filo pastryabout 12 sheets, thawed
- 7 oz buttermelted
- 2 tbsp pistachios (optional)finely chopped
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Method
0/9 doneStep 1: Make the syrup first: boil 14 oz sugar and 1 ¾ cups water for 10 minutes, add 1 tbsp lemon juice and simmer 2 more minutes. Leave to cool completely.
12 minStep 2: For the custard, whisk 4 ¼ cups whole milk, 5 ½ oz sugar, 2 ⅛ oz plain flour, 1 ⅜ oz rice flour and 2 egg yolks in a saucepan until smooth, with no lumps.
Step 3: Cook over a medium heat, whisking all the time, for 10–12 minutes, until thick and bubbling slowly like porridge. Off the heat, beat in 1 tsp vanilla extract and ⅔ oz butter. Press cling film onto the surface and cool for 20 minutes.
30 minStep 4: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Brush a 25 × 35 cm tin with some of 7 oz butter.
Step 5: Lay 6 sheets of 1 ⅛ lb filo pastry in the tin, brushing every sheet with butter and folding the edges in to fit.
Step 6: Spread the warm-not-hot custard evenly over the pastry.
Step 7: Cover with the remaining sheets, buttering each one. Cut through the top layers into 12 squares with a sharp knife, then pour any leftover butter over the cuts.
Step 8: Bake for 40–45 minutes, until deep golden and crisp all over.
45 minStep 9: Straight from the oven, ladle the cold syrup over the hot pie; it should hiss. Leave at least 2 hours to soak and set, then cut through and scatter with 2 tbsp pistachios.
120 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does laz böreği take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 40 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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