Galaktoboureko - Greek Custard Pie

Galaktoboureko is an easy, delicious and classic Greek dessert made with rich custard between layers of crispy, buttery phyllo pastry and drizzled with sugar syrup.

Galaktoboureko is filled with creamy goodness, and truth be told it lives up to its name. This Greek custard pie, once baked and served, would easily transport anyone to a delicious and mouthwatering dessert haven with its excellent combo of perfect texture and delightful taste.

Check also, Om Ali Dessert and Kunafa Dessert.

The texture boasts a crisp golden color of the pastry that is crunchy when you take a bite from it a few minutes after completing the baking process. The filling is superb like no other, smooth, and creamy with an exact amount of sweetness you will never get tired of.

This dish is naturally known to be wonderful on the dessert menu, hence it is almost always served after a full meal course. However, feel free to play around and experiment with scheduling when to make this enjoyable recipe. A good suggestion would be to serve it over breakfast before hurrying out of your front door for work or school.

This Greek custard pie is very satiating, and you can last a few hours until the next meal is up and ready for you to dig in. This recipe is also simple enough to be your usual afternoon snack.

Jump to:

• Lebanese Shaabiyat Dessert Vs Galaktoboureko
• Why Does This Recipe Work?
• Galaktoboureko Ingredients
• How To Make Galaktoboureko (Greek Custard Pie)
• My Secrets For Making The Perfect Galaktoboureko
• Recipe Variations
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage
• Recipe FAQs
• More Easy Recipes
• Recipe
• Comments

Lebanese Shaabiyat Dessert Vs Galaktoboureko

If you are fond of Middle Eastern cuisine, especially the ones from Lebanon, you may have already recognized the uncanny resemblance of this Galaktoboureko to Shaabiyat. Shaabiyat is a well-known Lebanese dessert made up of milky and creamy filling within a crispy baked layers of phyllo dough.

It also has the same ingredients as this Greek custard pie, the only difference is that Shaabiyat is famous for its nutty ingredient, particularly pistachio or almonds. Meanwhile, this version of custard pie only optionally uses pistachio and it is an ingredient not really needed at the scene of baking.

Why Does This Recipe Work?

A creamy custard filling within a crisp pastry always promises something good for everyone on the table. You will never go wrong in deciding to add this classic dessert recipe to your menu. And here are some of the reasons why you have to grab the opportunity and bake this recipe at home as soon as possible:

• Light yet creamy dish that will perfectly blend well as a dessert among other dishes for lunch or dinner.
• It is a clean dish when you serve it. Children will not make a mess out of eating a serving or two.
• Make this traditional Greek custard dessert anytime you would like. It can be a good winter comfort food, a good autumnal pair for a latte, a part of a refreshing menu for spring, and a fun summer picnic dish idea.
• This Galaktoboureko recipe is a wonderful everyday treat for children who have done their little mini chores at home or school. A good deed in exchange for a slice of this delicious dessert would seem like a good deal with kids of younger ages.
• This recipe has a rich cultural background. Practising this recipe at home is touching a deep touch on its cultural roots, and sometimes it is best to try out some cultural cuisines.

Galaktoboureko Ingredients

Full-fat Milk. It gives you the milkiest and creamiest option for this recipe to be perfect in its best form. Use full-fat milk to ensure the best taste and texture of your pie filling.

Heavy Cream. It will assist the full-fat milk in making the recipe even more creamier. With the presence of heavy cream, the texture of the filling will also be thicker and more desirable.

Corn Starch. Heavy cream contributes to thickening the filling. However, it is really the corn starch that will do the real job of thickening the texture of the filling. With its addition, the thickened filling will hold better to gather within the phyllo dough.

Sugar. As a sweetener for the filling and a prime ingredient for the sugar syrup, sugar should be present in this recipe to complete the whole dish.

Vanilla Extract. A more flavorful filling would be possible thanks to the added taste of the vanilla extract.

Phyllo Pastry. It is known to be delicate, buttery, and crisp. It is also perfect to hold a creamy filling similar to one in this recipe, making it an excellent choice to be the base crust for this dessert.

Butter. Make your pastry even more delectable and crispy.

Pistachio (Optional). For garnishing. Pistachio is highly optional. If you are not fond of nuts or are allergic to nuts, feel free to disregard this ingredient. Its absence won't have any changes on your Galaktoboureko anyway.

How To Make Galaktoboureko (Greek Custard Pie)

Step one - Make the cream

In a saucepan, mix heavy cream, milk, cornstarch, vanilla extract and sugar together, cook over medium heat (stirring constantly) for 3-4 minutes or until thickened (make sure its lumps free). Let it cool.

Step two - Make the sugar syrup

In a large saucepan, mix sugar, water, lemon juice and butter, cook over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and cook for another minute, turn off the heat and let it cool completely.

Step Three - Make Galaktoboureko

Preheat the oven to 180C/356F and grease a large baking pan with butter.

Place a sheet of phyllo on the baking pan, use a brush it with melted butter, and repeat to stack half of the phyllo sheets on top of each other.

Now, spread the custard filling equally on the top, then repeat stacking the remaining phyllos on top of each other, brushing butter between the sheets.

Carefully cut the pie tray into squares using a sharp knife. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Take it out of the oven and immediately pour the cold syrup over it. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes to absorb the syrup. Garnish with ground pistachio and serve.

My Secrets For Making The Perfect Galaktoboureko

• Thicken your cream filling thoroughly with no lumps visible. If your cream filling is gooey and almost watery, it will only make the phyllo pastry lumpy and soft thus ruining the whole texture of the dish.
• To achieve the perfect golden color for your phyllo pastry, you should consider brushing melted butter all over it before you place it inside the oven.

Recipe Variations

• For all the lactose-intolerant folks out there, you need not worry about having to skip this recipe altogether due to your health concerns. You may absolutely use dairy-free milk for this recipe. Use coconut milk instead of full-fat milk. Coconut milk may not be as creamy, but it contains added thickening ingredients that will do their job in the recipe. You may also look for dairy-free heavy milk as it can easily be found in grocery stores.
• In making the sugar syrup, consider using orange blossom water instead of the typical water for a clean brightness of orange groves finishes on the tongue.
• For extra flavored syrup, add lemon peel, orange peel, or cinnamon stick to the syrup.

Serving Suggestions

This recipe is a perfect dessert, but it can also be an excellent side dish to pasta. Galaktoboureko can be a good side dish to any pasta dish from spaghetti bolognaise, lasagne, fettuccine Alfredo, pasta carbonara, to ravioli.

Storage

How to store: Simply store it in an airtight container and place it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Store it in the freezer for longer shelf life.

Recipe FAQs

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