Galaktomboureko

Galaktompoureko is possibly the king of sweets for many in Greece. Fabulous cream, rich and consistent. The heavy cream lies in the middle in between thin layers of crispy phyllo and is bathed in syrup. Pure energy. One could survive only by eating exclusively this delicacy.

In Greece our grandmother used to say that you cannot find a proper husband if you don’t know how to make backlava and galaktomboureko… : )

Ingredients:

• 8 cups of milk
• 6 eggs
• 1 ½ cups of sugar
• 2 cups of fine semolina
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon of lemon or orange zest
• 10 sheets phyllo
• ½ cup of butter

Syrup

• 1 kilo sugar
• 3 – 4 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 5 – 6 cloves
• a small piece of cinnamon stick
• lemon peel

Directions

1. In a bowl whip sugar and eggs, add vanilla and lemon zest. Heat the milk and add semolina stirring until the cream is ready and thick. Add the butter and stir. Remove from heat and add the egg mixture stirring continuously until incorporated. Let cream cool down. Cover the cream with a cling film.
2. Grease a medium-size baking pan (25 x 35cm) and place half the phyllo pastry sheets in the pan, after they have been buttered one by one, making sure to cover all sides of the pan. If the phyllo is short try covering each side by a different phyllo. Pour in the cream, and turn the edges of the phyllo on the cream. Place remaining phyllo again buttering each one but making sure that edges are folded inside. Butter the last phyllo as well and sprinkle with some drops of water.
3. With a sharp knife, score the phyllo diagonally in squares  but only to the level of the cream.
4. Preheat oven at 180^ο and bake for about an hour until a golden colour is achieved.
5. In the meantime prepare syrup by putting in a saucepan the sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon peel, cinnamon stick and cloves. Let it boil for 5 minutes and remove from the heat.
6. When the galaktompoureko is ready pour over the syrup and let is cool down before serving.  Do not cover so that the phyllo remains crispy.
   

Tags: Creams, Desserts, made with phyllo, Sweets in Syrup