Custard-Filled Phyllo Treats

• Crispy layers of phyllo dough provide a stunning textural contrast to the creamy semolina custard that fills bougatsa or galataboureko, which are two similar desserts featuring a filling made of semolina custard that’s cooked on top of the stove. After the mixture cools to room temperature, layer sheets of phyllo dough in a baking pan. Add the custard and top it with more phyllo. Bake it for roughly 45 minutes in an oven that's been preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Drizzle with honey or a cooled syrup make with sugar, cinnamon, orange zest and lemon juice.

Baked Custard

• Bake semolina custard in one large dish or in small, single-serve ramekins. Combine ingredients such as sifted semolina, sugar, vanilla bean, lemon zest, butter, egg, milk and sugar in a mixing bowl. Optionally, add the egg yolks first and then whip the egg whites in a separate bowl until they form soft peaks. Fold the egg whites into the custard to give a lighter, airier custard. Pour the mixture into a greased oven-safe dish and place the dish in a larger dish. Add enough water to the outer pan to come halfway up the dish. Cover the dish with foil and bake the custard for 45 to 60 minutes in a 350-degree F oven or until a toothpick or knife comes out clean when you check the center.

Stovetop Custard

• If you're looking for a quick and simple semolina custard recipe, making it on the stovetop is your best bet. In just a little more time than it takes to prepare oatmeal, you can have a smooth and tasty dessert that is perfect for topping with fresh fruit such as berries, pineapple and mango or with a drizzle of cinnamon and honey. The semolina makes the concoction so thick and creamy, you don’t even need to add eggs. Simply combine semolina and milk in a saucepan with sugar or the sweetener of your choice. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer it, stirring occasionally, until it's thick and creamy. Remove the pan from the heat and let the custard cool before transferring it to a container and refrigerating it for around one hour.

Specialty Custard

• Imagine sinfully creamy, rich custard topped with a sweet, crunchy top. Semolina pudding, or lekmat al helwa, is a Lebanese custard confection that is similar to a lighter version of creme brulee. To make it, combine milk, semolina, sugar and orange blossom water. Simmer the mixture in a saucepan until it's thick, let it cool and transfer it to ramekins. Bake the custard for about 10 minutes in a 350-degree F oven before sprinkling it with brown sugar and popping it under the broiler to get a crisp, caramelized top.