Syrup
1. Place the sugar and water in a saucepan over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Turn the heat off and let the syrup cool completely.
Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and coat the bottom of the pan with cooking or nonstick spray. Take two sheets of phyllo dough and crinkle into an accordion and place in the pan. Repeat until the pan is used and the phyllo sheets are all used.
2. Using a knife, open each Medjool date and remove the seed. Chop the dates into small pieces and fit them in between the phyllo sheets.
3. Bake for 15 minutes, take the pan out and pour over the melted butter. Return to the oven and bake for 20 more minutes.
4. Make the custard by mixing the milk, eggs, sugar and cardamom. Pour the custard over the phyllo and bake for 40 to 45 minutes.
5. Take the cake out of the oven and immediately pour the syrup over, let it sit for 30 minutes to soak the syrup and top with pistachios and roses.
*While Medjool dates are high in natural sugars, they are low on the glycemic index thanks to a balanced amount of soluble fiber. The complex carbohydrates found in Medjool dates are digested at a slower rate, making them a source of dietary fiber and releasing energy to the body over a longer period of time.
