Much like Aladdin, I wanted to try a dessert that lended itself to the film’s particular locale. So I did some research into traditional Greek desserts, and came across bougatsa for Hercules. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures for this one 😦

AND! Since I haven’t given a recipe for filo dough here, I made it from scratch for this recipe. So here’s what you need:

• Filo Dough
  • 4 cups flour
  • 10 tsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cup warm water
  • 4 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 4 TBS flour
• Custard
  • 1 1/2 cups plant milk
  • 2/3 cup soy-based cream
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/8 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • lemon peel

To start making the filo dough, place the 4 cups of flour in a mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Then, drizzle in the olive oil and salt. Slowly pour in the warm water and vinegar, and mix until the dough just comes together.

Knead the dough on a floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. Then, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest for 1-2 hours.

Once the dough is done resting, split it into 20g portions, rolling each portion into a ball. Place the balls on a plate and cover them with plastic wrap to keep them from drying out. Working in batches of 5, roll out the dough one ball at a time. Mix together the cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of flour. Use this to dust your work surface. Roll each dough ball out into a circle and sprinkle some of the cornstarch-flour mixture on top, then stack each circle on top of each other. When you have 5, roll the stack out into a larger circle. Separate each layer, reapply the cornstarch mix, and restack. Roll it out again until the stack is paper thin.

Place your sheet of filo dough on a piece of parchment paper, then cover it with another piece of parchment paper. Continue the process with the remaining dough balls. You should end up with about 8 sheets of filo dough. Roll up the dough, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigeratre.

Now that the dough is done and in the fridge, it’s time to make the custard. In a pot, add the plant milk, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and a small piece of lemon peel. Over medium heat, stir continuously until the liquid thickens into a creamy custard.

Preheat your oven to 350F and grease an 8×8 baking dish. Lay one of your filo sheets into the pan. It might hang over the edges. Brush this layer lightly with vegetable oil, then add another filo sheet. Repeat until you have used 5 sheets. Pour the custard into the filo-covered dish, then fold the over-hanging edges on top of the custard. Brush this with oil, then add two more sheets on top, scrunching it so that it fits. Bake for about 40 mins, until the dough is golden-brown, and dust the top with powdered sugar and cinnamon.