Pistachio galaktoboureko rolls

Put the granulated sugar, water and orange juice in a small saucepan, mix and bring to a boil.

As soon as it boils and the sugar dissolves, take the syrup off the heat and stir in the honey, rose water and vanilla; cool completely. It can be made a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Put the milk in a saucepan with about a quarter cup of the sugar, unstirred so it sits on the bottom and keeps the milk from burning, and a pinch of salt; heat over medium until scalding hot.

Beat the two whole eggs, the yolk, the remaining sugar, the semolina and the cornstarch together until smooth and thick.

Just before the milk boils, temper the eggs: pour the hot milk into the egg mixture slowly while whisking constantly so the eggs do not scramble.

Pour everything back into the pot and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, until it thickens into a custard.

Off the heat, stir in the vanilla.

Pulse the pistachios in a food processor a few times until very finely chopped.

Open the filo only when ready to use it, or it dries out and crumbles.

Drizzle melted butter along half a filo sheet, fold it over in half, drizzle more butter on top.

Put a scoop of custard at the bottom edge with a spoonful of ground pistachios, fold the side edges inward — more folded in makes a thinner, longer roll — and roll up onto a parchment-lined tray.

Brush the tops of the rolls with the remaining melted butter.

Bake at 350F on the centre rack about 35 minutes, rotating the trays if they are on more than one rack, until golden all around.

Pour the cooled syrup over the hot pastry and let it absorb fully; hot pastry and cool syrup keep the rolls crisp rather than soggy. Never pour cold syrup onto a hot glass or ceramic tray.

To freeze: set the unbaked rolls in the freezer until hard, then bag them or wrap the tray in foil or plastic; they keep up to two months.

Bake from frozen in a preheated 350F oven, about 40 to 45 minutes, same temperature, until golden.

Poke a few holes in the tops so the cream does not seep out during baking.

Plate and garnish with crushed pistachios and rose petals.