Petit Grecque Recipe

Prepare filling

In a medium bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt until smooth. Add the ground blanched almonds, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, egg yolk, cornstarch, and fine sea salt. Stir until fully combined into a thick, spreadable mixture. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed. If the mixture seems too loose, chill 10–15 minutes to firm slightly.

Prepare baking sheet and phyllo

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unroll phyllo dough and cover with a lightly damp kitchen towel to prevent drying. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut each phyllo sheet into 8 squares (for roughly 8 small pastries).

Brush and layer

Take one phyllo square, brush lightly with melted butter, then place a second square on top and brush again. Repeat to make pairs (so each pastry will be two layers), or if you prefer flakier texture use four sheets per pastry. Reserve remaining melted butter for brushing tops during baking.

Fill and fold

Place about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of the almond-Greek yogurt filling in the center of each doubled phyllo square. Fold corners up or fold into a small parcel so the filling is enclosed, leaving a little of the filling visible on top if desired. Press gently to seal edges with a bit of butter. Arrange pastries on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart.

Finish before baking

Brush the top of each parcel with remaining melted butter and sprinkle lightly with granulated sugar for a crisp, caramelized top.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, or until phyllo is golden brown and crisp. Rotate the pan halfway through for even color. Baking time will vary slightly depending on sheet thickness—watch closely the last 3 minutes to avoid burning.

Make glaze

While pastries bake, combine honey, water, and ground cinnamon in a small saucepan or microwave-safe dish. Warm gently over low heat or in 15–20 second microwave bursts until honey thins and becomes pourable (do not boil). Stir to combine and dissolve any granules. Remove from heat.

Glaze and garnish

As soon as pastries come out of the oven, brush each generously with the warm honey-cinnamon glaze so it soaks slightly into the phyllo. Sprinkle toasted sliced almonds over the glazed tops and add a small pinch of finely chopped fresh mint if using. Let pastries rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set, then transfer to a cooling rack for an additional 5 minutes.