Galaktoboureko Greek Custard Pie Recipes

GALAKTOBOUREKO

Steps:

• Pour milk into a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. In a medium bowl, whisk together the semolina, cornstarch, 1 cup sugar and salt so there are no cornstarch clumps. When milk comes to a boil, gradually add the semolina mixture, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil. Remove from heat, and set aside. Keep warm.
• In a large bowl, beat eggs with an electric mixer at high speed. Add 1/2 cup of sugar, and whip until thick and pale, about 10 minutes. Stir in vanilla.
• Fold the whipped eggs into the hot semolina mixture. Partially cover the pan, and set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish, and layer 7 sheets of phyllo into the pan, brushing each one with butter as you lay it in. Pour the custard into the pan over the phyllo, and cover with the remaining 5 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter as you lay it down.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until the top crust is crisp and the custard filling has set. In a small saucepan, stir together the remaining cup of sugar and water. Bring to a boil. When the Galaktoboureko comes out of the oven, spoon the hot sugar syrup over the top, particularly the edges. Cool completely before cutting and serving. Store in the refrigerator.

GREEK CUSTARD PIE (GALAKTOBOUREKO)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Have your pan ready to go - either a 16-inch round cake pan or a 10x13-inch lasagna dish. The phyllo should be room temperature or slightly cooler. Open the package right before using it so the sheets do not dry out.
• Stir the milk, semolina, ½ cup of the sugar, the butter, and vanilla in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Stir the mixture gently but constantly until it becomes thick like pudding. This may take up to 15 minutes or so. Remove the pan from the heat and cool for 5 to 10 minutes. Beat the eggs with the remaining ¼ cup of granulated sugar in a small bowl and then stir it into milk mixture. Stir in the orange zest.
• Melt the butter and begin by brushing the the bottom of your pan with melted butter.
• Layer the bottom of the pan with about half of the phyllo, liberally brushing with butter between each layer. Lightly press the sheets into the sides and corner and let the edges hang over the top; you will fold them over later. (Do not skimp on the butter! You should use half on the bottom layers and half on the top.)
• Pour the slightly cooled custard over the bottom sheets and spread to the sides. Layer the remaining sheets of phyllo on top of the custard as you did the bottom, continuing to brush melted butter between layers until you have used all the phyllo. Then, brush butter on the overlapping sides and roll the edges down creating a "rim" around the edge of the pan. Liberally brush the top and the edge with the rest of your butter.
• Bake until the top is golden brown all over, 30 to 45 minutes. (I suggest checking early and often, as you don't want the phyllo to burn.)
• While the pie is baking, make the syrup. Bring the sugar, water and orange juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Boil for 5 minutes then remove from the heat. Off the heat, stir in the vanilla extract; set aside.
• When you remove the pie from the oven, let it cool for 15 minutes. Then, pour the syrup evenly over the entire pie. Allow the pie to sit for at least 1 hour before serving so the syrup can be absorbed. Store leftover pie in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

GALAKTOBOUREKO: GREEK CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350 °F, 180 °C. ​Make the syrup: In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, cinnamon stick, and orange juice. Stir well and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour the honey into the syrup. Mix well until incorporated. ​Set aside to cool completely. The syrup must be cold when poured over the hot pie so that way the phyllo stays nice and crisp. Make the Custard: Beat the eggs, yolks, half of the sugar, salt, semolina, and corn starch until thick and pale yellow. About 3 minutes. In the meantime warm up the milk in a saucepan with the remaining sugar until scalding hot. ​Temper the egg mixture by adding some hot milk and whisking well. Add the egg mixture to the milk in the saucepan and cook over low heat while continuously stirring until it thickens. Once it comes to a boil it will be at the correct thickness. ​Remove from heat and add vanilla extract and about 2 tablespoons of the melted butter, and the orange zest. Mix well to incorporate and set aside. ​Brush some butter all over the inside of a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Line the inside of the pan with a sheet of phyllo. Drizzle the top with the melted butter. Layer all of the sides of the pan with sheets of phyllo (one sheet at a time) and drizzle butter over each sheet. Allow half of each sheet to hang outside of the pan (see the video) ​Pour the custard filling in the center and fold the phyllo sheets hanging over the sides on top of the filling drizzling each stack with butter. ​Place another stack of four sheets on top and tuck the excess phyllo into the sides of the pan. Drizzle with more butter. Do the same with the final remaining sheets of phyllo. ​Scour the pie into 12 slices or more if you will be serving smaller pieces. Try not to cut all the way down to the bottom. Pour all of the remaining butter on top and brush the sides of the phyllo as well. ​Place the pie onto a baking sheet to make it easier and safer to transfer from the oven. ​Bake for 45 - 60 minutes or until the pie is a deep golden color. ​As soon as the pie comes out of the oven, slice over the scored marks all the way down to the bottom. Pour all of the syrup over the pie. Sprinkle a generous amount of cinnamon on top and set aside for at least 30 minutes.​Enjoy

GALAKTOBOUREKO - GREEK SEMOLINA CUSTARD BARS

Steps:

• In large saucepan, heat milk to just below boiling.
• Remove and set aside.
• In a bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar and semolina until pale yellow.
• Whisk in milk.
• Return mixture to clean saucepan and set over low heat.
• Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until custard thickens and comes away from sides of the pan, about 5 to 6 minutes.
• Stir in vanilla and lemon zest: set aside.
• Preheat oven to 375°F Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
• Lay half the phyllo sheets in pan, brushing each one with butter before putting it in the pan, and letting them come partially up the sides.
• Do not butter last layer.
• Pour custard over phyllo, taking care not to disturb the pastry.
• Gently smooth with a spatula.
• Lay remaining phyllo over custard, brushing each layer with butter.
• Carefully tuck excess phyllo into sides of pan.
• With a sharp knife, score top few layers into 3-inch squares.
• Bake 45 to 50 minutes until golden.
• Lower temperature if it browns too quickly.
• While pastry bakes, combine water, sugar and lemon zest in heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until it lightly coats a spoon.
• Remove pastry and cut though score marks to bottom of pan.
• Let cool completely then pour on hot syrup and serve.

GALAKTOBOUREKO (GREEK CUSTARD PIE)

Steps:

• Beat the eggs with the sugar until thick.
• Add semolina, milk, zest and vanilla extract.
• Cook over a low heat until mixture thickens, stirring continuously.
• Remove from heat; stir in 4 tbsp butter.
• Butter a baking pan 9x12x2 inches and lay 2/3 of pastry sheets, brushing each sheet generously with melted butter.
• The edges of the pastry sheets should come up above the top of the pan.
• Spread milk custard mixture over pastry sheets and turn in the edges of the phyllo over the custard.
• Cover with remaining pastry sheets, buttering each one generously with melted butter once it gets into the baking pan.
• Pour any remaining butter over top.
• Cut through the first 3 pastry sheets (no one will kill you if it's 4! Just use a light touch and a very sharp, pointy knife.) in 3 inch squares and sprinkle pastry with water.
• Bake in a moderate (350°F-180°C) oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour- until golden on top (not golden-brown).
• Allow to cool.
• Boil the sugar, water and lemon juice for 5 minutes.
• Pour lukewarm syrup over the cooled 'Galaktoboureko'.
• Cool before serving.