Delight in the Richness of Greek Custard Pie Galaktoboureko 🥧✨
Immerse yourself in the luxurious taste of Greek Custard Pie Galaktoboureko, a divine dessert that combines creamy custard filling with layers of delicate phyllo pastry, all soaked in a fragrant syrup. With its irresistible aroma and indulgent flavors, this traditional Greek dessert is sure to enchant your senses and leave you craving more.
Creating the Luxurious Custard Filling
- Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and greasing a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Heat the whole milk in a saucepan over medium heat until steaming, but not boiling.
- Gradually whisk in the fine semolina, stirring constantly to prevent any lumps from forming.
- Cook the mixture, stirring constantly, until it thickens and becomes smooth, which usually takes about 5-7 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until well combined.
- Slowly pour the egg mixture into the hot semolina mixture, whisking constantly to incorporate.
- Continue cooking and stirring the mixture until the custard becomes thick and creamy, usually about 2-3 minutes more. Then, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly.
Layering the Phyllo Pastry and Custard Filling
- Place one sheet of phyllo dough in the prepared baking dish and brush it generously with melted butter.
- Repeat this process, layering phyllo sheets and melted butter until you have used half of the phyllo dough.
- Pour the prepared custard filling over the layered phyllo dough, spreading it out evenly with a spatula.
- Continue layering the remaining phyllo sheets and melted butter on top of the custard filling.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully score the top layer of phyllo into diamond-shaped pieces to make it easier to slice later.
Baking and Preparing the Syrup
- Bake the pie in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, or until the phyllo is golden brown and crisp.
- While the pie is baking, prepare the syrup by combining water, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and cloves in a saucepan.
- Bring the syrup mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
- When the pie is done baking, remove it from the oven and immediately pour the hot syrup over the hot pie, allowing it to soak in and infuse the dessert with sweetness and aroma.
Serving and Enjoying
- Let the pie cool completely before slicing it into servings and savoring each decadent bite of creamy custard and crisp phyllo pastry.
Recipe for Greek Custard Pie Galaktoboureko:
Ingredients:
For the Custard Filling:
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup fine semolina
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
For the Phyllo Pastry and Syrup:
- 1 package phyllo dough (about 16 sheets)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- Heat milk in a saucepan until steaming. Gradually whisk in semolina and cook until thickened.
- Whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Slowly pour into the semolina mixture, whisking constantly.
- Layer phyllo sheets and custard filling in the baking dish.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown.
- Prepare syrup by simmering water, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon stick, and cloves.
- Pour hot syrup over hot pie and let cool before serving.
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes | Kcal: 320 kcal | Servings: 12 servings
Experience the opulence of Greek Custard Pie Galaktoboureko and treat yourself to a slice of Greek culinary tradition.