Phyllo Dough Crinkle Cake With Cardamom Pistachios

The Inspiration

Crinkle Cake went viral on TikTok when @ramenasaidwow shared her secret recipe for the dessert that she built a business on. I saw frozen phyllo dough and I was in! I’m always on the lookout for easy dessert recipes with simple ingredients that I can keep on hand for when the occasion arises. This Crinkle Cake is so amazing I’ll be making up reasons to bake it! And I am adding this to my collection of fav TikTok Recipes. Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week! By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Minstry of Curry

The Twist

I love desserts that can be customized! This recipe has a simple custard and syrup that can take on any flavors you choose. I added warm earthy cardamom to the custard, delicate rose essence to the syrup, rose petals, and chopped pistachios to the top for color and crunch. This combination is magical together and works perfectly for Indian holidays and festivals. I can’t wait to delight my guests at our next party!

It’s So Easy

The Crinkle Cake recipe is so unfussy that @ramenasaidwow says if you can’t get the phyllo sheets to fold back and forth like an accordion, just crinkle them up and put them in the pan. And look how few steps there are in the instructions! You don’t need any special equipment or fancy ingredients to make a dessert that looks like it came straight from a bakery.

The Taste and Texture

Let me just say–WOW! The texture is similar to baklava with a gorgeously sticky crunchy top and intricate layers of flavor-soaked and crisped phyllo. In contrast, the custard binds everything together and keeps the center nice and soft. Adding the rose essence and cardamom complements the sweetness and gives an alluring aroma to the dessert. Mouthwatering.

Step by Step Instructions with Photos

Defrost the phyllo dough according to the package instructions. Take 2 layers of phyllo dough together at a time holding the sheets together at the top and let them hang from your fingers. Using your fingers to “crinkle” the sheets, gently fold back and forth in an accordion-style drawing from the bottom up to the top.Lay the folded dough into an ungreased rectangular baking dish starting at the shorter side and continue filling in the folded sheets down the length of the pan. **See video for my demonstration.Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Melt butter in a small sauce pan.Remove the pan from the oven and evenly pour melted butter over the phyllo sheets. Return to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes.

Combine milk, sugar, cardamom, rose syrup, and eggs with a whisk to form the custard.Remove pan from oven and evenly pour the custard over phyllo dough. Return pan to oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Combine water, sugar, and rose essence in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil and then simmer for 8 to 10 minutes as the syrup forms a one-string consistencyDrizzle over the cake after removing it from the ovenGarnish with chopped pistachios and rose petals

Cut into 3-inch squares and serve.

Serving

Crinkle Cake is an anytime treat: from dinner parties to brunches, tea times, and potlucks. Serve as is, or add a sprinkle of powdered sugar or a side of fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Variations are Endless

Eggless Crinkle Cake - make the custard with 1 cup whole milk, 1 cup of condensed milk, 1 teaspoon cardamom powder, and 1 teaspoon rose essence. In the same way, I added spice to the custard, essence to the syrup, and my own toppings, you can take the basic recipe and run wild. Get started with these:

Substitutions

I used rose essence that is available in Indian grocery stores. It can also be substituted with good-quality rose water.If you are allergic to nuts, skip them completely.