Greek · Dessert · Medium
Galaktoboureko
Crackling buttered phyllo wrapped around a lemon-scented semolina custard, drenched in citrus syrup. Greece's most beloved pastry, best eaten slightly warm.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Galaktoboureko, in 5 ideas
- Cool syrup over hot pastry is the rule: it soaks in instead of pooling on top.
- Whisk the semolina constantly or it will form lumps that no amount of stirring fixes later.
- Fine semolina gives the silkiest custard; coarse semolina makes it grainy.
- It is at its absolute best 1 to 2 hours after baking, slightly warm with crisp layers.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge but will soften; recrisp in a hot oven for 10 minutes.
What you need
Ingredients
- 1L whole milk
- 120g fine semolina
- 150g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 60g unsalted butter
- 12 sheets phyllo pastry, thawed
- 120g unsalted butter, melted, for layering
- Syrup: 200g caster sugar, 200ml water, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 strip orange peel
How to make it
Directions
- Make the syrup first: simmer the sugar, water, lemon juice, cinnamon, and orange peel for 8 minutes, then cool completely.
- Heat the milk with the sugar in a large saucepan until just steaming, then rain in the semolina while whisking constantly.
- Cook 5 minutes, stirring, until thick like porridge, then off the heat stir in the butter, lemon zest, and vanilla.
- Cool 5 minutes, then whisk in the beaten eggs gradually until the custard is smooth and glossy.
- Butter a 23x33cm dish, layer 6 phyllo sheets with melted butter between each, letting the edges overhang.
- Pour in the custard and level it, then fold the overhang up and layer the remaining 6 buttered sheets on top.
- Trim or tuck the edges, brush generously with butter, and score the top into diamonds or squares.
- Bake at 180C for 40 to 45 minutes until deep golden and puffed, then pour the cool syrup evenly over the hot pastry and let it soak 30 minutes.
Buy phyllo from a freezer section rather than chilled: it is usually fresher, cheaper, and thaws overnight in the fridge with no waste.