Pineapple and coconut soufra

A Greek phyllo dessert with a twist with the tropical flavours of pineapple and coconut. The spiralized phyllo is baked until crispy after which a rich, creamy custard is poured over top. Fresh pineapple pieces are added and the dessert is re-baked until the custard is set. A great dessert for any occasion, and throughout the year.

Growing up Greek so many of the desserts I enjoyed were made with phyllo. My parents often made Galaktoboureko (Γαλακτομπούρεκο), and Baklava (Μπακλαβάς), two traditional Greek sweets that have layers of phyllo in them. They would also use phyllo to make sweets such as Bougatsa (Μπουγάτσα) and soufra, like the one I am sharing with you here.

It is true that my parents version of soufra did not have the tropical twist that you find in this version of my dessert. Here I use the delicious combination of pineapple and coconut, but my parents would more typically use lemon or orange to flavour their dessert. I know what you are thinking, I should share that recipe too!

Why this recipe is amazing

I absolutely love the way this recipe turned out. First of all, any soufra is great, because it is fun to make, looks impressive, and tastes fantastic. I really find that my version however tastes like summer! The combination of pineapple and coconut is just divine.

I also explain to you quite clearly how to fold the phyllo to create the circular design in the pan. I love that even though phyllo can be a bit finicky to work with, in this recipe it really does not matter if it tears a little bit. It all gets crinkled up, so a few small tears don’t matter at all.

Key ingredients

Phyllo Phyllo is the paper thin dough that is used in many popular Greek desserts and savoury dishes like pites. It is made of flour, water and sometimes a bit of oil. I like to use fresh phyllo whenever I can find it because it is much easier to work with.

Butter I use unsalted butter in this recipe. I measure it out first, and then melt it, usually in the microwave.

Shredded coconut I use sweetened shredded coconut, but if you do not have the sweetened variety you can also use unsweetened coconut. I love the nuttiness and the texture (and of course the flavour) of the shredded coconut.

Coconut milk I buy the canned coconut milk for use in this recipe. I shake the can before opening it and use the entire can (I find cans that are exactly 398 ml).

Sugar I use white granulated sugar in this recipe. It is easy to find and offers a mild sweetness without having an over powering flavour.

Eggs In all my baking I use large eggs. This is standard and when recipes don’t mention the size of the eggs, stick to large.

Coconut extract All extracts provide a very concentrated flavour, and this coconut extract does just that as well. A little does go a long way.

Vanilla extract I use pure vanilla extract in liquid form for this recipe.

Salt I always add salt to my sweets. Actually, I add salt to almost all recipes because it really highlights and brings together all the different flavours.

Pineapple Fresh pineapple is far superior to canned pineapple. Peeling it is easy once you get the hang of it, and so much cheaper than purchasing a pineapple that is already peeled.

How to make

Making soufra is actually really fun. It is an unusual way to bake a dessert, and I love the way that it turns out. It is so impressive when it comes out of the oven!

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Melt the butter and use some of it to grease your pan.

Cut your pineapple into 1/4 – 1/2 inch chunks and set aside.

Instructions

Step 1
Take one sheet of phyllo and lay it with the shorter side facing you. Brush the top with melted butter. Sprinkle approximately 2 tablespoons of coconut over the phyllo and then cover with a second piece of phyllo. Fold like an accordion and then turn it to resemble a rose. Place in center of your pan. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and place each accordion strip around the phyllo already in the pan. When all the phyllo is used, and the pan is filled, brush the top with the remaining melted butter. Bake in the middle rack of your oven for approximately 20 minutes, until golden brown.

Step 2
While your phyllo is baking, prepare the custard by combining the remaining ingredients, except for the pineapple. Whisk until well combined, and set aside.

Step 3
Once your phyllo is out of the oven, pour the custard evenly over the phyllo; use a ladle to help disperse the custard everywhere. Scatter the pineapple over the top, and strategically push some pineapple pieces into the phyllo folds, under the custard.

Step 4
Return pan to the oven and bake in middle rack for about 30 – 35 minutes until the custard is set and the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool and then dust lightly with icing sugar if desired.

Helpful hints

Working with phyllo can sometimes be intimidating. Don’t worry too much about that here though. Even if the phyllo tears a little bit, no one will be the wiser. To prevent the phyllo from drying out and tearing, keep the sheets you are not using covered loosely with a clean kitchen towel or piece of plastic wrap.

Don’t roll the phyllo too tightly. When shaping your sheets of phyllo into accordion-like strips and then placing them in the pan, do so loosely. Too tight and you may find that you have empty space in your pan after all your phyllo is used. Also, you want your phyllo to bake through nicely when you first place your pan in the oven. If the phyllo is packed too tightly together the custard won’t be evenly dispersed throughout.

Recipe substitutions

You can use regular dairy cream instead of coconut milk.

If you don’t have fresh pineapple you can use canned pineapple. Just be sure to drain it well.

Recipe variations

There are many different ways to make soufra. You can use different fruit instead of the pineapple (berries work well) and remove the coconut and coconut flavourings from the ingredients. Simply replace the coconut milk with cream, and omit the shredded coconut and coconut extract. Orange and lemon zest would make nice additions to a berry soufra.

Once you know the basic ingredients, you can really experiment as much as you like. Be sure to try this incredible Apple pie flavoured soufra.

Related recipes

Portokalopita (Πορτοκαλόπιτα) A classic Greek orange cake dessert made with dried and crumbled phyllo.

Mini apple pies with phyllo or milopitakia (Μηλοπιτάκια) When you want apple pie, but don’t feel like making pie crust, give these milopitakia a try.

Saragli or Baklava cigars Individual servings of baklava – I love these so much and I know you will too!

Thanks for sharing!