This is one of my favorite Martha Stewart recipes. The result is so impressive and yet the technique is quite simple. You really can’t mess it up. It involves scrunching up layers of phyllo and coiling them into a round pan. If you tear the sheets a bit, that’s okay. It will still look beautiful. Then a simple custard is poured over the baked phyllo base and baked again. The result is a crispy, layered top with a tender eggy base. Watch my Ruffled Milk Pie how-to.
Ruffled Milk Pie
Adapted for 10″ pan from Martha Stewart
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons clarified butter, melted, divided
8 sheets store-bought phyllo
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more for dusting
1 1/2 cups whole milk
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush a 10-inch round cake pan with some of the clarified butter; set aside.
Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on work surface with one long side parallel to edge of work surface. Brush the top side with clarified butter. Using your hands, loosely ruffle the phyllo by pushing short sides toward one another to create a long cylindrical shape. Place upright in center of prepared cake pan, creating a spiral. Repeat process with remaining sheets, continuing spiral outward until bottom of pan is covered.
Using a pastry brush, brush remaining clarified butter all over phyllo in pan; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat milk in a medium saucepan until it just barely begins to boil; remove from heat. Whisk together eggs and sugar in a large bowl. Gradually add heated milk, a little bit at a time, whisking constantly; whisk in vanilla.
Spoon milk mixture over baked phyllo, evenly covering surface. Return pan to oven and bake until filling has set, 25 to 30 minutes more. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and cinnamon; serve immediately.
June 15, 2017
How would I adapt this for a 9″ size cake pan or pie dish?
Is the use of clarified butter crucial, or can I substitute regular unsalted butter?
Thanks!!
June 17, 2017
Hi! You could decrease the filling by about 10%? If that’s too difficult I’d just make the full amount and have a little leftover since the pan size is so close to the 10″ pan I used. As far as the butter, I tried both ways and didn’t notice much of a difference, so you can go with either!
March 6, 2018
Would it get too soggy if I bake ahead of time (during the day) and try to serve it after dinner?
March 15, 2018
The video shows you brushing butter on the phyllo before ruffling it but the recipe doesn’t mention it? Should you brush each piece before ruffling? Thx
April 27, 2019
Hi Jenn, I made this today and it was lovely although both your recipe and on Martha’s recipe the step to brush each layer of the phyllo with melted butter isn’t mentioned. I’ve worked with a lot of phyllo so did it. In Martha’s video they brush with butter too. Gorgeous flavour. I did it as a test run for a Greek dinner party for 20 I am cooking for. Thank you.
November 18, 2019
What benefit may come from using clarified butter?
December 1, 2019
It won’t burn when it bakes.
February 18, 2025
Hi Sue,
Oh that is a good point! I’m going to update the recipe. Thank you for calling it out.
February 18, 2025
Hi Julie,
You’re right! Someone else mentioned that as well. I forgot to include in the instructions, but it’s there now. Happy baking!
February 18, 2025
Hi Anna,
You can definitely do that! I would pop it back in the oven at 300 for 8-10 minutes just to re-warm and crisp it up again. If the top is dark, just place a sheet of foil on top. Don’t secure it tightly or that will create steam and make it soggy.