Ruffled Milk Pie

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Brush 1 tablespoon of melted butter in the bottom and up the sides of a 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie plate. (5 minutes)

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. (2 minutes)

Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a cutting board or clean work surface. Brush one side with melted butter. Carefully scrunch up the phyllo by pushing the short sides towards each other to create a rope-like shape. (3 minutes)

Loosely wrap the scrunched phyllo into a coil and place it in the center of the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining phyllo sheets and butter, arranging them around the center coil to form a concentric circle, packing them in tightly. (20 minutes)

Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the spiced sugar mixture evenly over the top of the ruffled phyllo. (2 minutes)

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). (25 minutes)

While the phyllo is baking, heat the milk and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it just begins to simmer. Remove from heat immediately. (8 minutes)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla extract, and the remaining spiced sugar mixture. Gradually add the hot milk mixture to the egg mixture, whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Ensure the mixture is well combined. (5 minutes)

Immediately pour the spiced milk custard evenly over the baked phyllo in the baking dish. Return the pie to the oven. (2 minutes)

Bake until the custard is just set, 20 to 25 minutes. The center should have a slight jiggle but not be liquid. (25 minutes)

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Dust generously with powdered sugar before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature. (5 minutes)