Greek Custard Pie Food

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

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.

GREEK CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, water, cinnamon stick and the squeezed lemon (not the juice. Keep the juice for other use) to a boil. Don't stir it. Simmer over low heat for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and disregard the squeezed lemon. Cover the pot and set aside.
• Keep one cup (250ml) of milk and ½ cup (100g) sugar aside. In a large heavy-bottomed pot heat the remaining milk and sugar along with thezest, the vanilla extract and the cinnamon stick over medium heat.
• In a small bowl using a hand mixer (or in a stand mixer) beat the eggs and the egg yolks for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining ½ cup(100g) sugar and beat until it dissolves. Make sure the sugar is dissolved by rubbing a small amount of mixture in between your fingers. Add the semolina gradually and beat until combined. Finally add the remaining 1 cup (250ml) milk and beat for 2-3 minutes.
• Using a small ladle take some of the warm milk and add it to the egg-sugar-semolina mixture while stirring gently. Repeat until the mixture's temperature slightly rises. Pour the egg-sugar-semolina mixture into the warm milk and stir gently but constantly until small bubbles form around the edges. This may take up to 15 minutes or so. Remove from the heat.
• Disregard the cinnamon stick. Using a fork or knife melt the cold butter over the surface of the custard. Don't emerge the butter into the custard. Just brush gently and evenly all over the top with the butter and let the heat melt it. Your purpose is to create a buttered layer and keep the custard's surface from crusting. Let it aside to cool. When you will be ready to pour thescustard in the baking pan, you will stir well to incorporate the butter intosthe mixture.
• Melt the butter. Don't burn it. Let it aside to cool at roomtemperature.
• Follow the instructions in the post above and find out how to handle frozen and fresh phyllo pastry.
• Grease a 13 to 15-inch (35cm to 38cm) round baking dish/pan or a 15x11-inch (38×28 cm) rectangular. Layer the bottom of the pan with thefirst phyllo sheet and lightly press the sheet into the sides and corner andlet the edges hang over the top. Brush it with the melted butter. Place thesecond sheet crossways and brush it with butter as well. Repeat for another 5sheets. We need totally 7 sheets for the bottom, placed crossways and brushedwith melted butter. Don't worry about the overhanging phyllo because you willfold it over to cover the pie.
• Pour the cool custard over the bottom sheets and spread to the sides. Fold the pastry inwards over the custard. Layer 5 more phyllo sheets on top of the custard as you did the bottom, continuing to brush melted butter between layers. Don't forget to brush the sides and the overhanging parts too. Using a knife cut the excessive overhanging phyllo. Roll the edges down using your pastry brush to push them underneath the pan. Liberally brush the top and the edge with the rest of the butter.
• Score the top of the pie into pieces. Cut only the top sheets and don't touch the bottom at all.
• Sprinkle with water and bake at 356°F (180°C) on the bottom rack for about 1 hour, until golden. Remove the pie from the oven and using a big spoon or a small ladle pour the cool syrup evenly and really slowly overthe entire pie*.
• Allow the pie to sit for at least 1 hour before serving so that the syrup is absorbed. Serve warm and store leftover pie in the refrigeratorfor up to 5 days.

BOUGATSA (GREEK CREAM-FILLED PHYLLO PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Beat eggs until frothy; beat in sugar until thick and foamy, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat milk in medium pot until hot but not boiling.
• Remove from heat and whisk into egg mixture in a thin stream until all the milk mixture is used up - never stop whisking.
• Pour custard mixture back into pot and set on medium-low heat; cook, stirring constantly, about 3-4 minutes.
• Gradually sprinkle in semolina, letting it flow out of your hand in a thin stream; add a pinch of salt.
• Reduce heat to very low, cook, stirring constantly, until thick and smooth, about 5-6 minutes. Whisk in pieces of cut up butter, incorporating completely into the semolina custard.
• Remove, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard and cool completely.
• When cool, stir in juice, lemon zest and vanilla.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Unroll one sheet of phyllo, keeping remainder covered with dampened kitchen towel.
• Place on a work surface, with narrow end facing you.
• Brush lightly with melted butter.
• Place 3 tbsp of custard on lower 1/3 of phyllo.
• Using a thin, flexible spatula, spread custard into a wide rectangle, approximately 10x5 inches, nearly covering lower third of phyllo.
• Fold right and left sides of phyllo towards center so that edges just meet; lightly brush folded sides with butter.
• Fold lower third up and brush with butter.
• Fold upper third down and brush with butter.
• It should now look like an envelope.
• Place on a lightly buttered baking sheet and repeat envelope-making procedure 7-9 more times (depending on how many bougatsa you are making).
• Brush tops of bougatsa with any remaining butter and bake until golden-brown, about 15-18 minutes.
• Let cool 20 minutes before serving.
• Serve warm, dusted with icing sugar (you should see a coating of the icing sugar) and cinnamon.

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 (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.

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!