MILK ROSES

This is absolutely scrumptious - delicate but not in a naff way. We got the idea from Martha Stewart, whose website I normally check at this time of the year as we approach the dreadful moment of 'the Xmas decoration homework' at school. It is high up there in my particular scale of homework dislikes in fierce competition with the Eastern hat. Perhaps one day we could all cut the pretending and teachers could simply give the task directly to the parents (or, more pointedly, to the mums!!) Anyway, we have changed the recipe a fair amount, and the individual portions are much nicer than a whole ruffled milk pie.

You need:
- a packet of philo sheets (10)
- 75 gr butter
- 3 eggs
- 375 ml milk
- 100 gr granulated sugar
- a teaspoon of vanilla
- icing sugar for dusting
- a muffin tray

Preheat the oven at 175 degrees. Melt the butter and coat the muffin tray well. Take each sheet or philo and ruffled it along its longest side. You should get a ruffled long, role. Roll this along its shortest side (see picture) and put it into a muffin hole. Do this with all the other nine sheets. Paint the top of the philiopastry with butter and bake for 15 minutes.

While this is in the oven heat the milk until it is about to boil. Separately mix the sugar and eggs and then pout in the milk very slowly while you wish it ( just as if you are doing to make a custard). Add the vanilla and put it in a jar.

Take the muffin tray off the oven and pour the custard in each hole making sure you pour it on one side (so that the top of the philo pastry does not get wet) Fill in each hole to half its size. Put it back into the oven for 15-20 minutes).

When you take them out let them cool down a little. Then run a knife along the sides of each mould so that the roses come out easily. Dust with icing sugar.

Children can do this all, but struggle a bit to pour the custard on the side of the philo roses, as they 'float ' so they wobble. Once they have managed with one they seem to get the hang of it though.