These delicate Greek Phyllo Triangle Pastries (Trigona Panoramatos) showcase the perfect marriage of flaky phyllo dough and silky custard filling.
The traditional dessert requires some patience, taking two hours from start to finish, but rewards you with 15 heavenly triangles that are worth every minute.
Each golden-brown pastry delivers a wonderful contrast of textures and a balanced 361 calories of pure indulgence.
Whether you’re hosting a Mediterranean-themed dinner or craving an authentic Greek treat, these custard-filled delights will transport your taste buds straight to a charming Athens bakery.
Ingredients for Phyllo Triangle Pastries
- Base Components: 14-15 phyllo dough sheets, 200g melted butter
- Custard Filling: 950g milk (divided), 300g sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 3-4 egg yolks, 250g all-purpose flour, 50g room temperature butter, 1/3 cup cold heavy whipping cream, 1 tbsp icing sugar
- Syrup: 500g sugar, 400g water
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Syrup: Combine sugar and water in a pan until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool.
- Shape the Phyllo: Cut phyllo sheets into three lanes. Layer two pieces, brushing each with melted butter. Fold into triangles and create an opening using crumpled parchment paper.
- Baking: Place triangles on a parchment-lined tray, brush with butter, and bake at 160C for 30 minutes until golden.
- Syrup Bath: Remove paper from baked triangles and dip in cold syrup. Set aside to cool.
- Custard Making: Heat 700g milk with sugar and vanilla. Separately whisk remaining milk with egg yolks and flour. Combine mixtures carefully while whisking until creamy.
- Finishing Touches: Fold whipped cream into cooled custard. Fill triangles using a pastry bag and garnish.
Cooking Techniques
When working with phyllo dough, keep a light touch! The key is brushing each layer with melted butter using gentle strokes.
If you’ve never folded phyllo triangles before, don’t worry – just think of it like folding a paper airplane.
The clever trick of using a crumpled paper ball to create the cavity for the filling makes this way easier than it looks.
Keep your phyllo sheets covered with a slightly damp cloth while you work to prevent them from drying out.
Storage Tips
These lovely pastries taste best within 2-3 days. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge, but bring them to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
The custard filling means they need to stay chilled. If you want to work ahead, you can make the phyllo shells up to a day in advance – just store them in a dry, airtight container at room temperature and fill them when you’re ready to serve.
Serving Suggestions
These sweet treats shine brightest when served with a hot cup of Greek coffee or tea. While they’re amazing on their own, try adding a light dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of honey right before serving.
For a lovely presentation, arrange them on a pretty platter and sprinkle extra chopped nuts around the plate.
They’re perfect for special occasions, afternoon tea, or whenever you want to make someone’s day a bit sweeter!
Helpful Tips
Make sure your syrup is completely cool before dipping the hot pastries – this temperature difference helps the syrup soak in perfectly.
When making the custard, keep whisking steadily to avoid any lumps forming. If your phyllo tears a little while folding, don’t panic!
Just keep going – the multiple layers will hide any small mistakes. And remember to remove those paper balls as soon as the pastries come out of the oven, while they’re still hot and flexible.
Phyllo Triangle Pastries with Custard (Trigona Panoramatos)
Equipment
- Baking tray
- Pastry brush
- Mixing bowls
- pastry bag
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
Base ingredients
- 14-15 sheets phyllo dough
- 200 g butter melted
For the custard
- 950 g milk divided in 700g and 250g
- 300 g sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 egg yolks depending on size
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 50 g butter room temperature
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 1 tbsp icing sugar
For the syrup
- 500 g sugar
- 400 g water
Instructions
- To prepare these amazing phyllo triangle pastries (trigona Panoramatos), start by making the syrup. In a pan add the sugar and water and bring to the boil; the syrup is ready, as soon as the sugar dissolves. Leave aside to cool down for a while.
- Unroll the phyllo dough from the plastic sleeve and place on a working surface. Using a sharp knife cut the sheets of phyllo in three lanes (cut the shorter side in three lanes) and set aside. Lay one piece on the working surface (shorter side facing you) and using a cooking brush drizzle with melted butter.
- Spread one more sheet on top and drizzle with some more butter. Fold one corner to form a triangle and continue folding the triangle upon itself, until the entire piece of phyllo is used.
- Cut the triangle in the middle to form two little triangles. Wrinkle some parchment paper into a little ball. Expand with your fingers the phyllo triangle to make an opening and place inside the paper ball. Continue with the rest phyllo sheets.
- Line a large baking tray with parchment paper, place the phyllo triangles on top and brush them with melted butter. Bake in preheated oven at 160C for about 30 minutes, until nicely coloured.
- As soon as you turn them out of the oven, remove the parchment paper from the inside of the phyllo triangles and dip them in the cold syrup, turning them sides; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool down.
- Prepare the custard for the pastries. In a pan add 700g/ 24 ounces milk, the sugar and vanilla extract to bring to the boil.
- In a bowl add 250g/ 9.5 ounces milk and the egg yolks; whisk to combine. Add the flour in the bowl and whisk to combine. As soon as the milk comes to the boil, remove from the heat and ladle slowly 1/3 of the milk into the flour mixture and whisk.
- Place the pan with the milk again on the stove and turn the heat down to medium. Add the flour mixture into the pan with the remaining warm milk; whisk continuously, until the mixture has thickened and is smooth and creamy. Remove the pan from the stove, add the butter and stir.
- Pour the custard in a large tray, cover with some plastic wrap (the plastic wrarp should be touching the custard, so that it doesn’t form a crust) and place in the fridge to cool.
- Put the cold heavy cream into a mixer’s bowl, add the sugar and beat into whipped cream.
- Remove the custard from the fridge, add the whipped cream and fold gently to combine.
- Using a pastry bag, fill the triangles with custard and garnish chopped nuts. Enjoy!