Flogheres (Almond Pipes)
Submitted by colleenbryan
Greek almond pipes (Flogheres): crisp phyllo rolls stuffed with cinnamon-scented almonds and orange, soaked in hot honey syrup. A traditional Greek holiday pastry.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
50 minREADY
80 minFlogheres, which translates loosely as flutes or pipes, are Greek phyllo pastries built on the same principles as baklava but rolled long instead of layered flat. Four sheets of phyllo get brushed with butter, blanketed with a mix of toasted sliced almonds, sugar, beaten egg, orange zest, and cinnamon, then rolled tight before slicing into eight portions.
The hot-syrup-over-hot-pastry technique is everything. Pull the rolls when they are just deep-golden and still sizzling, then pour the spiced honey syrup over immediately. The phyllo drinks it up while the steam is still escaping. Wait until the sizzle stops and the pastry will sit on top of the syrup instead of absorbing it, leaving you with sticky puddles instead of evenly soaked flutes.
Pro Tips
- Keep phyllo covered with a damp towel while you work. It dries to brittle flakes in minutes in dry air.
- Tuck the ends tightly before rolling. Loose ends unfurl in the oven and let filling leak out.
- Slice all the way through after assembling, before baking. Pre-slicing ensures clean portions after the syrup soak.
- Let the finished pastries sit several hours, uncovered, to absorb the syrup fully. Overnight is better.
Variations
- Swap almonds for walnuts or a mix of both.
- Add a pinch of ground cloves to the filling for a deeper spice profile.
- Use rose water or orange blossom water in the syrup for a more Middle Eastern flavor.
Ingredients
Directions
Brush filo sheets with ¼ cup butter - stacking sheets on a large chopping board or counter top.
Combine almonds, sugar, salt, egg, orange peel, cinnamon and remaining butter in a small bowl.
Spread over top of filo sheets.
Beginning with longer side, roll tightly into one long roll.
Tuck ends in well.
Place in an ungreased, metal baking pan.
Slice into 8 portions.
Spread portions out slightly so that heat can circulate between rolls.
Bake in a moderately hot oven (375 degrees F) 45 to 50 minutes until top filo is deep golden brown and nuts at side look well-toasted.
Remove from oven and pour hot Cinnamon Honey Syrup over rolls at once until sizzling stops.
(Do not pour syrup over after sizzling stops or rolls will be too sticky.)
Cinnamon Honey Syrup: 1 cup honey 1 cup sugar 1 cup water 1 teaspoon orange peel ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
Combine honey, sugar, water, orange peel, and cinnamon in a small saucepan.
Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils.
Simmer 20 minutes.
Stir in lemon juice just before pouring over pastry.
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