Galatoboureko Food

GALAKTOBOUREKO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Bubble the milk in a large heavy pot over low heat. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add ½ cup butter, the corn starch, and the cream of Wheat Increase the heat to medium and whisk constantly for 10 to 12 minutes until thick.
• In a bowl beat the eggs until fluffy and add the lemon peel. Gradually mix some of the hot mixture in with the eggs, whisking constantly. Then add the egg mixture to the cereal.
• Melt the remaining butter and butter up a 18 by 12 inch baking dish using a little brush.
• Next its time for the phyllo dough. Be sure to have thawed it in the fridge. Directions should be in the package. This step is very important. Trust me.
• Place a sheet of phyllo dough on the bottom and butter it.
• Now place a sheet so that it overlaps and hangs over (about 1.5 inches) the bottom edge of the dish, butter profusely. Place sheets so that they overlap the left side, then the right, the top, you get the idea all the while buttering them so that they don't dry up and rip. Butter the edges of the dish and the corners. If a sheet rips just carefully put another on top.
• After you've gone through this cycle 2 or three times, pour in the custard. Then carefully flip over the phyllo that hangs over each edge so that it wraps over the custard. Then add more sheets on top, buttering each one after you place it just as before. Using your little brush be sure to tuck in the corners.
• Cover with a little more butter using your brush and then cut only the top layers of phyllo into 24 squares. Do not make these incisions too deep, and perforated lines are ok too.
• Sprinkle with a little water and bake for 45 minutes to an hour until the top gets a little brownish.
• For the Syrup: Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 5-10 minutes until its a little thick. Add the lemon at the end.
• Pour on top. A tip my grandmother gave me was to either have a hot galaktoboureko with a cooled syrup or the other way around.

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.

GALAKTOBOUREKO: MILK PIE

Steps:

• In a heavy pot, bring the milk to a boil. Sprinkle in the semolina, whisking constantly over very low heat. Add the sugar, then simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring from time to time. Remove from the heat and add the butter and the eggs, 1 by 1, stirring. Blend in the vanilla. The mixture will be thick but pourable, like a sauce.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Butter a deep 10-inch baking pan. In the bottom of the pan, layer 8 sheets of phyllo, leaving the edges hanging over the sides of the pan. Brush each sheet generously with clarified butter. Pour the milk mixture over the phyllo layers.
• Cut the remaining sheets of phyllo about the size of the pan and brush each sheet with clarified butter. Place the buttered sheets on top of the filling, then brush the hanging bottom sheets with clarified butter and roll them up to seal.
• With a very sharp knife, score the top diagonally in 2 directions to make diamond-shaped slits on the surface. (This makes it easier to cut later, and also allows the syrup to penetrate the pie.) Sprinkle with a little water and bake about 1 hour, or until top is light brown and filling has set.
• The minute you start baking the pie, begin to make the syrup. Simmer the water with sugar and the 1/2 of lemon for about 1 hour. Remove the lemon half and squeeze the juice into the syrup. Discard the lemon. Pour the syrup over the pie the minute you take it out of the oven. Be careful, syrup will bubble vigorously and can burn you.
• Let cool, and serve, cutting pieces along the slits that you made before baking the pie.

GALATOBOURIKO (GREEK CUSTARD PASTRY)

Steps:

• For the syrup: make this first.
• In a small sauce pan, combine the sugar, honey and water. Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally until sugar is completely dissolved. Add lemon juice and orange juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a 4 quart saucepan, mix the butter and milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add farina and cook for 5 minutes, continuing to stir to prevent lumping. Remove from heat. In a large bowl combine eggs, sugar and vanilla. Slowly add one cup of the hot mixture to the bowl and blend. Return egg mixture to the saucepan and stir until smooth and thick. Set aside to cool.
• Brush a 9″ x 13″ x 2″ baking dish with melted butter. Place 8 filo sheets on bottom of pan, brushing between each one with melted butter. Place an additional 4 filo sheets in pan, allowing the edges to drape over each of the 4 sides of the pan. Brush with melted butter.
• Pour the filling into the filo lined pan and spread evenly. Fold the overlapping filo sheets to envelop the filling. Top pastry with remaining filo, brushing with melted butter.
• Score the dough through the top layers of filo with a sharp knife 4 times lengthwise. Pour any remaining butter over the top of the pastry (this keeps the filo from drying out during baking.).
• Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for one hour or until pastry is golden and puffed.
• Remove pastry to a rack and cool for 5 minutes. Spoon cooled syrup over pastry and allow to stand for 30 minutes.
• Cut into 40 diamond shaped pieces.
• Enjoy this authentic, luscious Greek dessert!

GREEK GALAKTOBOUREKO

Steps:

• Note: Orange flower water can be found in Middle Eastern grocers, near where they sell the Rose water.
• To make the syrup, place all syrup ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Cook for 10 minutes, skimming off any foam; remove from heat and cool.
• To prepare the custard, place milk and sugar in a small saucepan and heat until very hot; stir in Cream of Wheat, then add butter and salt.
• Cook until thickened and smooth, stirring constantly, then remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Beat together eggs and vanilla in a large bowl until light and fluffy; stir in cooled custard and mix thoroughly.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• To prepare pastry, grease an 11x17-inch baking pan with butter.
• Unwrap phyllo, laying out flat, and covering with damp towels when not getting pastry (to keep from drying out).
• Lay 1 sheet of phyllo across the baking sheet and brush with butter (use a pastry brush for this) (cover remaining phyllo while you do this).
• Repeat with more sheet of phyllo to make an 8-sheet layer.
• Pour the custard on top of the 8 buttered sheets and spread it out evenly with a spatula.
• Repeat the process of the phyllo, covering the custard with 8 more buttered sheets.
• When you have those done, take a sharp knife a punch some breathing holes in the top (as you would for a pie).
• Place the galaktoboureko in a preheated oven and bake for 45-60 min, or until custard is set and the pastry shakes loose from the edges of the pan.
• Allow the galaktaboureko to cool about 30 minutes, thenpour the syrup evenly over the pastry.
• Allow it to cool completely before cutting and serving (it is best served chilled or at room temp).
• Serves up to 48, depending on size (diamond shape is the recommended cut).

GALATOBOUREKO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a large saucepan, over medium heat, scald milk.
• In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add farina, sugar, vanilla and salt to beaten eggs. Slowly pour milk into mixture, stirring constantly.
• Pour everything back into the large saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent sticking and burning. Cool to room temperature.
• While this is cooling prepare syrup: In a large saucepan, combine water and sugar, and cinnamon and cloves, if desired. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Allow to cool and remove cinnamon and cloves.
• Brush the bottom of a 9x13-inch pan with butter. Layer 10 sheets of phyllo dough in the bottom, brushing EACH LAYER with butter. Add custard. Top with remaining 10 layers of phyllo dough, brushing each layer with butter. Score into 12 sections.
• Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Pour cooled syrup over baked galataboureko so it is absorbed.
• Serve at room-temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.