A syrupy custard pie “Galaktoboureko” is a traditional Greek dessert. Made with phyllo pastry, filled with a semolina cream, and soaked in syrup. It’s a dessert made to amaze. In Greece, it’s as famous as Baklava which I’m sure you are already familiar with.
In other words, “Galaktoboureko” is the alter ego of the Greek Baklava. They are both made with phyllo and syrup but the “Galaktoboureko” has a soft creamy filling instead of a crunchy nutty one.
About Semolina
You probably are not familiar with semolina. If so, let me tell you what it is. Semolina is the coarse, purified wheat middlings of wheat. It’s used mostly in pasta making, but in various desserts also. Especially in Eastern countries. If you are wondering how it tastes, it’s almost identical in flavor to a wheat baby food. Yeap, it’s pretty yummy.
See my other recipes using semolina:
-Greek Baked Apples Stuffed With A Fluffy Custard Cream
-Traditional Greek Honey Cookies (Melomakarona)
How To Make Galaktoboureko
It’s pretty simple. First, you make the cream which takes about 10-minutes and set aside. You add the phyllo sheets into the pan greasing every phyllo very well with butter. Pour the cream on top and cover with some more phyllo sheets.
Then bake it at low temperature for about an hour, while you prepare the syrup. And once it comes out of the oven, you pour the hot syrup on top. Nothing more to do, except, cutting a big piece for yourself and enjoy your efforts. Since it’s a custard pie, it can be eaten warm also. In Greece, we usually eat it cold. But it’s like in the case of the Greek Rice Pudding, it really depends on your mood and the temperature. There are no restrictions as on how to eat it, hot or cold!
Just one thing: Be careful not to burn the butter. Since we use a lot of it, and it’s the ingredient that really boosts the flavor of this dessert. We don’t really want a burned-milk-flavoring coming out of a burned butter. Try melting the butter in a bain-marie or use a butter melter.
Syrupy Custard Pie Recipe (Galaktoboureko)
Ingredients
For The Cream Filling:
- 1.200 ml fresh milk
- 200 grams sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 eggs
- 180 grams fine semolina
For The Pie:
- 250 grams butter
- 1 pack or 450 grams phyllo pastrty sheets
For The Syrup:
- 1 kg sugar
- 500 ml water
- 1 lemon peel
Instructions
For The Cream Filling:
- Add the 1000 ml of milk, the sugar, and vanilla, in a medium-sized cooking pot. Heat over high heat.
- In a small bowl beat the eggs and combine with the remaining 200 ml of milk.
- Once the milk reaches a boiling point (without boiling though) start pouring the milk into the eggs SLOWLY by whisking constantly.
- Once you have added at least half of the milk into the eggs, transfer back to the pot.
- Add the semolina and reduce heat to medium.
- Keep whisking until cream starts to get thicker.
- Once the cream reaches a boiling point and bubbles start to form on the surface, whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.
For The Pie:
- Preheat oven to 160°C/ 320°F.
- Melt the butter. Lay the phyllo sheets on your working surface covered with a tea towel (so they wont air-dry).
- Grease a 12-inch baking pan with butter.
- Add the first phyllo sheet and push it gently to fit into the pan. Grease well with butter. Add the next phyllo sheet and grease with butter. Repeat proccess until you have 7 phyllo sheets altogether.
- Add the cream into the pan and spread evenly with a spoon.
- Cover the cream with a phyllo sheet and grease well with butter.
- Repeat proccess until you have 4 phyllo sheets on top.
- Turn the remaining phyllo edges inwards and grease well.
- Sprinkle some water on top and prick here and there with a knife.
- Bake for about 1 hour. Or until phyllo looks golden and crunchy.
For The Syrup:
- Meanwhile, add the sugar, water and lemon peel in a medium-sized cooking pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Once it starts boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 6-7 minutes. Do not stir. Just shake the pot if needed.
- Once the pie comes out of the oven, pour the hot syrup on top with the use of a ladle.
- Let it reach room temperature before refrigerating.
Notes
Nutrition
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