Galaktoboureko

A creamy, decadent semolina custard pie, this is a popular Greek dessert flavoured with cinnamon and vanilla.

• serves

  6

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  55 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Sugar syrup

• 350 g caster sugar
• 300 ml water
• finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon 

Galaktoboureko

• 1 litre milk
• 350 g caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon quill
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 180 g fine semolina
• 25 g butter
• 250 g butter, melted
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 375 g Antoniou Fillo Pastry
• 40 g pure icing sugar mixed with 2 tsp ground cinnamon, for dusting

Before you begin this Fillo Pastry recipe, take your Fillo Pastry out of the fridge for at least 2 hours, still in its plastic bag and allow it to come up to room temperature.

Cooling time: 3 hours

Instructions

1. For the sugar syrup, combine sugar, lemon rind, lemon juice and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, then simmer until slightly reduced (approx. 3-5 minutes). Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely. 

2. For the custard, bring milk, sugar, cinnamon quill and vanilla extract to the boil in a saucepan over a low heat, then whisk in semolina and a pinch of fine salt. 

3. Whisk continuously until thick (4-5 minutes).  Then whisk in 20 g butter, remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool to room temperature. When cool, remove cinnamon quill, stir through eggs and set aside.

4. To assemble the galaktoboureko, preheat oven to 170°C. Brush a 5 cm-deep, 25 cm x 35 cm baking tray with butter. Place a sheet of Fillo Pastry on the base of the tray - folding in any excess and brush liberally with butter. Repeat this process using 10 more fillo sheets. 

5. Pour in semolina mixture, smooth the top evenly, then top with remaining Fillo Pastry sheets, brushing each with butter. Bake in the oven for 40-45 mins. until pastry is golden, custard is set and a knife inserted comes out clean.

6. Strain the cooled syrup over galaktoboureko as soon as it comes out of the oven, then set aside to cool to room temperature - approx. 3 hours. Serve dusted with icing sugar and cinnamon.

Recipe & photography for Antoniou Fillo Pastry by Souvlaki for the Soul.

For your chance to win a year's supply of Antoniou Fillo Pastry, enter our competition here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.