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Galaktoboureko
Semolina custard in fillo
Semolina custard in fillo, soaked in lemon syrup (γαλακτομπούρεκο)
GreekGalaktoboureko is the grand dessert of Greek pastry shops: a thick layer of silky semolina custard baked between sheets of buttered fillo, then soaked with cold lemon and cinnamon syrup the moment it leaves the oven. It's bought by the tray for Sunday lunches, name days and Easter, and eaten slightly warm or at room temperature with coffee. The top shatters, the syrup pools at the edges and the custard stays creamy. It takes patience but no special skill. Chef's tip: pour cold syrup over the hot pie (or hot over cold), never hot on hot; that common mistake leaves the pastry soggy instead of crisp.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the syrup
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 strips lemon peel
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the custard
- 1 litre whole milk
- 5 ½ oz caster sugar
- 5 ½ oz fine semolina
- 4 eggs
- 1 ⅜ oz butter
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zestfinely grated
For the pastry
- 14 oz fillo pastryabout 12 sheets, thawed
- 5 ½ oz buttermelted
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Make the syrup first so it can cool. Simmer 10 ½ oz sugar, 1 cup water, 1 cinnamon stick and 2 strips lemon peel over a medium heat for 8 minutes, until slightly syrupy. Stir in 1 tbsp lemon juice and leave to cool completely.
8 minStep 2: Heat 1 litre whole milk with half of 5 ½ oz caster sugar in a large pan over a medium heat until steaming.
6 minStep 3: Whisk 4 eggs with the rest of the sugar in a bowl until pale and thick.
Step 4: Pour 5 ½ oz fine semolina into the hot milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Cook over a medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, still whisking, until it thickens like porridge.
4 minStep 5: Take off the heat. Whisk a ladle of the hot semolina into the eggs, then pour the eggs back into the pan and whisk hard until smooth. Beat in 1 ⅜ oz butter, 2 tsp vanilla extract and 1 tsp lemon zest. Cover the surface with baking paper.
Step 6: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Brush a 23 × 33 cm tin with 5 ½ oz butter. Lay in 7 sheets of 14 oz fillo pastry, brushing each and letting them hang over the sides.
Step 7: Pour in the warm custard and level it. Fold the overhanging pastry over and cover with the remaining sheets, buttering each. Tuck in the edges, brush the top and score it into 12 pieces through the top layers only.
Step 8: Bake for 45–50 minutes, until deep golden and the custard has puffed up a little. A pale top will go soggy under the syrup.
45 minStep 9: As soon as it comes out, ladle the cold syrup slowly over the hot pie. You should hear it crackle.
Step 10: Leave for at least 2 hours to absorb the syrup and set before cutting. Keep in a cool place (not the fridge) and eat within 2 days.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 430 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does galaktoboureko take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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