Galaktoboureko - Milk Custard Pie
Assalamualaikum wa rahmathullahi wa barakathuh
With less than 10 days left for Ramadan, the anticipation is getting real. Can't wait for the months blessings and happiness from Allah to be bestowed on us and may Allah accept all our Ibadah and duaa.
Let's come to the point now, the question; what's for iftar? This year I have decided not to over indulge in oily food, rather prepare 1 or 2 healthy dishes everyday. Also since I have been asked to share more healthy recipes for iftar, I have been doing a lot of experimenting lately, which is WHY I haven't been sharing many recipes recently.
That being said, I do not say that I will not be sharing yummy delicious snacks here. I have shared a few recipes already and I will be making a new selection in the menu bar for Ramadan recipe. This will help my dearest readers to have easy access to iftar/suhoor recipes like Butter Chicken Parcel and Malabar mini Vella pola.
Let's begin the Iftar recipe series with something sweet, as the elders say, it's always best to begin something with anything sweet. After much thought process, I came up with a delicious snack/dessert, to my surprise, a similar dish is already on the internet on the name Gulaktoboreko, which is a Greek dessert. So I kept the name the same 😁 Thanks to the Greek name, it came to my rescue to create a new name for the dish😝
Galaktoboreko gala means milk in greek and boreko means pie. First you have to prepare the sugar syrup and then the custard filling is prepared. It is similar to baklava, the layers are made using Phyllo dough and ghee is drizzled over the layers, and a filling made from milk, Semolina, vanilla and lemon zest is made and covered using the overflowing extras of Phyllo sheets and tucked in, which is then scored using a knife, carefully without cutting all the way to the base. This helps the hot air to escape and keeps the Phyllo crisp. Once baked, pour in your Cinnamon sugar syrup* and enjoy! It is very difficult to convince my momma when it comes to sweet dishes, but one bite of this and her face made my day! ✨ This one is too good, I tell you! 🤤😍😍
Ingredients :
- Phyllo dough sheets, thawed
- 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 cups milk
- Little more than 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup semolina/ rava
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- Zest of lemon or orange
- Salt, a pinch
For Syrup:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 water
- A Cinnamon stick
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
Instructions :
- In a sauce pan, combine sugar, water, lemon juice and Cinnamon stick.
- Bring to a boil and allow to boil for around 30 seconds.
- Remove from heat and pour your honey to the sugar syrup prepared and mix well and set aside to cool.
To make the custard :
- Beat the egg, yolk, half the sugar, salt, Semolina and corn starch for around 3 minutes until thick and pale.
- Next pour the milk in the saucepan and allow the milk to heat on low.
- Next add the egg mixture to the milk and slowly cook over low heat while stirring constantly until it thickens.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and lemon zest. Mix well and set aside.
- Grease your 4" by 7" baking dish, with melted butter.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C.
- Line the first layer of Phyllo sheet on your baking dish, keeping in mind to allow half the sheet to hang out of the baking dish and drizzle melted butter on each layer.
- After your first set of about 4 layers are done, pour the custard layer in the middle and fold the Phyllo sheets hanging over the sides, while drizzling melted butter on each layer of Phyllo sheet as you go. **
- Score the resultant pie into the desired number of squares, keeping in mind not to score too deep into the pie, all way to the bottom.
- Use up all the remaining butter brushing the Phyllo on all sides.
- Bake for 40 minutes or more, depending on your oven until it turn deep golden in colour.
- As soon as the pie is done, cut deep through the scored areas to the bottom, so that it's easier to take portions as required.
- Pour the prepared and cooled sugar syrup over the pie.
- Sprinkle silvered pistachios or powdered Cinnamon, allow to set for 30 minutes or according to your liking you may have it warm and oozing, or if you like it set, have it after 30 minutes and enjoy!
Notes:
- Be careful to only pour sugar syrup that has been cooled and pour over the baked galaktoboureko allow to soak.. And enjoy!
- **You may use extra sheets and tuck in if necessary, I forgot to allow to hang the sheets a bit over the dish, so I had to place extra sheets on top.
