Prepare the syrup: In a saucepan, bring all the syrup ingredients to a boil and simmer for 8–10 minutes from the boiling point.

In a pot, heat the milk with the lemon peel.

In a bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, semolina, and vanilla well.

Add a few ladlefuls of the hot milk to the egg mixture, stirring constantly to temper the eggs. Two to three ladles are enough.

Pour the egg mixture into the pot with the milk (remove the lemon peel first) and stir constantly until the custard thickens. You'll know it's ready when it starts to bubble. Add the lemon zest and stir.

Add 7 tablespoons (about 100 grams) of the butter to the custard and reserve the rest for the phyllo. Transfer the custard to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface, and let it cool.

Lay out the phyllo sheets on your work surface. Cut them from the wide side in half for larger rolls or into thirds for smaller rolls (I cut them in half).

Bake in a convection oven at 350°F (175°C) for 35–40 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottom.

Note: You can freeze the unbaked rolls and bake them whenever you like, adding a little extra baking time.