Galaktoboureko - Greek Mama Project

Recipe: Galaktoboureko
By: Georgia Panopoulos

I don't have a sweet tooth but give me my friend Maria Bakasetas's mum galaktoboureko, cheesecake or ice cream and my no sweet tooth philosophy goes out the window.


In my Greek cooking classes I also tend to stay away from desserts because I don't really eat them as I feel they are sickly sweet and because of that I don't cook them at home and therefore don't feel comfortable teaching people how to make them…with the exception of bougatsa and loukoumathes.  This recipe I will definitely add to the classes as it is not as sweet as most galaktoboureka I have had.

Georgia with her yummy galaktoboureko

I could eat the whole tray...

Nearly finished my first piece!!

Galaktoboureko

For the custard

6 cups milk

¾ cup semolina

¾ cup sugar

5 yolks fresh eggs

rind of one orange

250g unsalted butter melted

for the syrup

2 cups sugar

1 cup water

rind of one lemon

1 packet filo pastry

Step 1. Place semolina, milk, sugar and orange rind in a saucepan and simmer on low heat until thickened.  Stir continuously to ensure that the custard does not stick to the bottom.

Step 2. Once the custard is at the correct consistency remove the saucepan from the heat and beat in one egg yolk at a time.  Remove the orange rind.

Step 3. Butter the baking dish.  Divide the filo pastry in half.  Then add about 3 sheets of filo from one pile and add to the other.  The pile with the the more filo pastry will be for the bottom layer.

Step 4.  Place one filo on the bottom of buttered pan.  Baste with butter and place another filo.  Continue to do this until your bottom layer pile is finished.

Step 5. Add the custard and finish off with the top layers of filo ensuring to butter each filo pastry. Tidy up the filo pastry by tucking in gently at the edges if need be.

Step 6.  Ensuring you only cut the top layer of filo pastry (don’t touch the custard) cut into diamond pieces.

Step 7. Bake in a 180° for about 40 minutes.   The filo should be golden brown.

Step 8. To make the syrup add the sugar, water and lemon rind to saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. 

Step 9. Pour the hot syrup on the galaktoboureko. Serve at room temperature.

Georgia's tips

Tip 1. To ensure that the galaktoubereko is ready to take out of the oven, Georgia inserts a skewer and if it comes out fairly clean it is ready. 

Tip 2. To ensure that the syrup is ready she places a drop of syrup on her nail and if it sits without being too runny it is ready to be poured on the galaktoboureko

Tip 3.  She pours hot syrup on hot galaktoboureko.  Note: this only applies because the syrup is not as runny as most.