Author: Gian Manik
Servings: 6-8
Prep Time: 20mins
Cook Time: 45mins
WATCH: Painter Gian Manik makes his Indian Viennetta
INGREDIENTS
Filo base:
• 2 sheets filo
• 200g butter, melted
Chai Custard:
• Cinnamon stick
• Fennel seeds
• Green cardamom pods
• Slightly crushed Pep
• 1 cup milk
• 2 black tea bags
• ½ tin condensed milk
METHOD
1.
Preheat oven to 180 (fan).
Crumple the filo sheets into a lined rectangular baking tin in a wavy, ridged layer — think a pastry version of that
Joy Division album cover.
2.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and pour over your pastry. Leave remaining butter in the pot.
3.
Bake 5–10 minutes until the edges
turn lightly brown. Remove and set aside.
4.
Put your butter-melting saucepan back on a low heat. Add cinnamon, fennel, cardamom, and crushed Pep. Gently toast until fragrant — the butter should smell like chai.
5.
Pour in 1 cup milk.
Add tea bags (labels removed so).
Simmer on low for 5–6 minutes to infuse.
6.
Take off the heat and add your ½ can of sweetened condensed milk, whisking until smooth.
7.
Pour your chai custard evenly over your filo base. It shouldn’t be completely submerged—you’ll want some of those peaks to stay crispy and dry.
8.
Reduce the oven to 170 and put the filo back in for 30 mins (checking at 20 for colour and set).
9.
Take it out of the oven and let it cool. It’ll firm up as it gets to room temp.
10.
Serve with a little spiced honey and some goats cheese or, alternatively, some vanilla icecream. We didn’t try it with actual Vienetta but who’s gonna stop you?