Greek Custard Slice

Ingredients

5 cups sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup water

6 cups milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice plus rind

1 cup semolina

500gm unsalted butter melted

6 medium egg yolks

500gm filo pastry

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Scald milk in large saucepan and keep warm. Combine egg yolks and one cup of sugar in large bowl and beat vigorously for 6 minutes with electric beater. Add semolina and mix well with a wooden spoon. Add vanilla and lemon rind to milk. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently for about 15 minutes until semolina is cooked. Mixture will become very thick. Allow to cool.

Butter a baking pan about the same size as the filo sheets and lay 10 sheets of pastry on bottom. Brushing each one completely with butter. Add cooled custard. Place remaining pastry on top brushing each piece with butter. Sprinkle with a few drops of water and cut pattern through top layers of pastry with a sharp knife or razor blade. Bake in 180° for about 45 min or until golden brown.

Combine 3 cups of sugar with one cup of water and lemon juice and bring to the boil. Cook gently over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Pour syrup over hot pastry. For extra zing add half cup honey to mixture at start.