This pistachio cardamom phyllo cake is my ode to gulab jamun—a delicious Indian dessert. It’s a milkfat doughnut soaked in a saffron, cinnamon, cardamom and rose water syrup. For this delicious dessert, I made a creamy cardamom custard to bring it all together. Then I soaked crisp layers of phyllo with the saffron, cinnamon and rose syrup echoing the floral, spiced notes of gulab jamun. —Hetal Vasavada, San Francisco, California
Hetal Vasavada’s Pistachio Cardamom Crinkle Cake
Published on May 27, 2025
Watch How to Make Hetal Vasavada’s Pistachio Cardamom Crinkle Cake
Hetal Vasavada’s Pistachio Cardamom Crinkle Cake
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
35 min
Yield
16 servings
Ingredients
- 1 package (16 ounces, 2 rolls) frozen phyllo dough, thawed
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- CUSTARD:
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- SIMPLE SYRUP:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 1-inch cinnamon stick
- Pinch saffron threads
- 1/2 teaspoon rose water
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Fold two sheets of phyllo at a time, accordion-style; place into a 13x9-in. baking pan. Repeat until all phyllo dough is used, gently fanning out the dough until the pan is filled. Bake phyllo 10 minutes. Remove; sprinkle chopped pistachios within the folds of the phyllo dough. Drizzle melted butter evenly on top. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, cardamom and salt until combined. Pour the custard mixture over the phyllo. Bake until the phyllo is browned and crisp, about 25-30 minutes.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, combine water, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and saffron. Microwave until mixture just begins to boil, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in rose water. Drizzle simple syrup over warm cake. Let cool at room temperature before serving. Store in the refrigerator.
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