What is Greek Honey Cake (Melopita)

Greek Honey Cake is also known as Melopita and is a traditional honey cake made on the Greek island of Sifnos, in the Cyclades. It is a little like a cheesecake because it uses ricotta cheese and is very simple to make.

• Classic honey cake: the traditional recipe only uses six main ingredients.
• Delicious for any occasion: the cake works well at any time of the year.

What you’ll need to make Greek Honey Cake the traditional way

While ricotta isn’t a Greek cheese and instead comes from Italy, it is a big part of making this cake the traditional way. The traditional recipe uses anthotyro, but it’s really hard to find outside Greece.

Tip: Aim for the best ricotta you can afford, otherwise the end result may contain too much water, and will be prone to splitting. If you can only get watery ricotta, strain it for a couple of hours before using to remove as much liquid as you can.

Greek Honey Cake Key Ingredients

For the mixture of melopita: You’ll need ricotta cheese and runny honey along with eggs, cornflour and vanilla extract or bean paste for the cake. Olive oil and lemon zest are the final ingredients.

For the topping: More runny honey and some ground cinnamon will be used to top the cake once it is cooled.

Key Preparation Tips

There are just two main steps to making this recipe:

1. Prepare the melopita cake
2. Finish and decorate the cake

Prepare the melopita cake

Start by preheating the oven to 160C or 320F. Grease a spring form tin with a little olive oil, I usually use an 18cm or 7 inch one. Add some baking parchment to the bottom and the sides.

In a large bowl, beat the ricotta with a wooden spoon or whisk until it is smooth then beat in the honey. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly then add the cornflour, vanilla and lemon zest.

Using a scraper to get the mixture into the baking tin and smooth it with the back of a spoon to get a level finish.

Tip: If you want to change a little of the flavor, you can substitute the lemon zest for orange zest.

Finish and decorate the cake

Bake the melopita in the oven until it is set, usually around 30 minutes. It will have some color around the sides.

Leave the cake to cool then transfer it to a plate from the tin. Add enough honey to cover the top and sprinkle generously with ground cinnamon.

My melopita isn’t rising did I do something wrong?

It is worth remembering that this is a flat and dense cake mixture so don’t panic if it doesn’t rise while in the oven.

The Greek name melopita features ‘pita’ which means flat so the cake is more like a cheesecake than a sponge cake. But it does tend to stick like a baked cheesecake, so don’t forget to line the sides of the pan.

Variations of Greek Honey cake

The traditional Melopita from the island of Sifnos is this simple and beloved version with no other additions. But one can also find some variations using phyllo dough as a base.

Also it is very common to use a base made from crushed biscuits, melted butter and a pinch of cinnamon, like this no bake cheesecake. So feel free to experiment!

Making ahead of time and storing

You can make this Greek honey cake cake ahead of time by carrying out the first steps and then stopping before cooking. Then simply cook when you are ready to serve and add the topping.

Keep any unused portions in the fridge due to the ricotta cheese and use them within 2-3 days.

Serving suggestions

The cake can be served on its own or you can top it with some vanilla ice cream. Whipped cream would also work if you want to offset the sweetness of the honey a little. And of course, some crushed walnuts on top will give that extra crunchiness you may look for!

More recipes to try 

If you love Greek honey, the below recipes are made for you! Enjoy!

• Baklava Cheesecake 
• Greek Yogurt with Honey and Walnuts
• Traditional Baklava with honey and walnuts
• Loukoumades (Greek Honey puffs)
• Greek Christmas Pastry with honey (diples)
• Tiganites (Greek Style pancakes with Honey and walnuts)
• Melomakarona (Greek Christmas Honey cookies)

Greek Honey cake (Melopita Sifnou)

(82 votes, average: 4.87 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 min
• Cook Time: 60 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 pieces
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

If you are looking for a sweet treat with only 15′ prep time, then this Greek Honey Cake (Melopita Sifnos) is a simple and delicious cake to make that will satisfy your craving!

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Ingredients

• olive oil
• 660g ricotta (1 lb, 7 1/4 oz), at room temperature 
• 100ml runny honey (5 1/2 tbsp), plus extra for drizzling
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• zest 1/2 lemon
• ground cinnamon

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Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C (320F). Grease a round loose bottomed 18cm (7 inch) cake tin with a little olive oil before lining both the bottom and the sides with baking parchment. 
2. In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon or a whisk to beat the ricotta until smooth. Beat in the honey, followed by the eggs, one by one, the cornflour, the vanilla, and the lemon zest.
3. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with the back of your spoon. 
4. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the middle is set not jiggly, and it has started to colour around the sides.
5. Leave to cool in the tin before transferring to a plate and drizzling with just enough honey to cover the top, and sprinkling with a generous amount of cinnamon. Enjoy!

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Keywords: greek honey cake, melopita, ricotta cake, honey cake

The post Greek Honey cake (Melopita Sifnos) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

What is Greek New Years bread (Vasilopita Tsoureki)?

If you’re looking for a delicious and unique way to ring in the New Year, you may want to try making Vasilopita Tsoureki, a traditional Greek sweet bread.

There are two main variations of Vasilopita – the Vasilopita cake version, and the tsoureki dough version, which is this recipe here, kind of the same as an easter Tsoureki but rather shaped in a tin! Tsoureki is typically made with a brioche-like dough.

After baking the Vasilopita bread, a lucky coin is inserted through the base, and it’s said that whoever finds the coin in their slice will have good luck in the new year. Greek New Years bread is usually decorated with glaze or icing sugar and it is customary that the year number is decorated on top of the cake.

Classic Greek New Year recipe: The dish is served in Greek homes on New Year.
Lots of ways to personalise it: You can change the nut flavours and decoration to suit your taste.

Vasilopita Tsoureki Key Ingredients

For the Greek New Years bread: You need the basic instant yeast, water, sugar, milk and butter for the bread. Add to that some mastic teardrops and ground mahleb. I use a strong bread flour with salt and eggs and add orange zest and a vanilla pod for extra flavor.

For the glaze: This is made with water, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and flaked almonds.

Vasilopita bread Key Preparation Tips

There are three main steps to making your own New Year vasilopita bread :

1. Combine the bread ingredients
2. Work the dough
3. Cook the bread
4. Add the New Year coin and decorate

Combine the bread ingredients

Add the sugar, milk and butter to a small saucepan set over medium low heat. Stir it often until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Then take it off the heat and let it cool down some.

Meanwhile, combine the yeast and tepid water in a large mixing bowl. Whisk it until frothy.

Start by pounding the mastic with a mortar and pestle. Add the mahleb to prevent it from sticking and continue to grind until it’s finely crushed.

In a mixing dish of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, orange zest, and spice mixture.

Place the flour, salt, sugar, butter and milk in a large mixing bowl. Stir gently but consistently for about 30 seconds to combine the ingredients. Next, whisk in the yeast mixture and vanilla seeds (if using).

Thoroughly mix the two mixtures together using a fork until it forms a rough dough.

Work the dough

To knead the dough, attach the dough hook and mix for 15 minutes until the texture is smooth, tight and stretchy. Then, use a scraper or spatula to form it into a ball shape. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for at least 2 hours so it can double in size.

Meanwhile, line an 18-20cm cake tin (7 inch) with a round of baking parchment and butter it well before placing it in the oven to preheat.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and expel any air bubbles if necessary. Using a knife or a dough scraper, cut the dough into three equal-sized pieces.

Roll the dough into ropes that are half stretched and half rolled. They should be about 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) in thickness. Pinch the top of the rope to bring all the strands together, then braid them.

Be sure to not leave any air pockets between the strand, but also don’t stretch the dough too much as you braid it. Once you’ve finished braiding, shape it into a coil and tuck the ends underneath so it’s tidy looking.

After braiding, transfer the dough to a prepared tin and let it rise for another two hours.

Cook the Vasilopita bread and finish with the glaze

Preheat oven to 150C (300F) 30 minutes before the end of the proofing time. Bake the vasilopita tsoureki until it is a little risen, golden in colour, and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Let cool completely before removing from the baking tin.

While the vasilopita bread is cooling, toast the almonds in a small frying pan over a medium stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.

For the decoration, mix together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water to create the glaze. If you desire, push a coin into the base of the bread before spooning it over the cake so it falls in between slices. Add almonds for garnish.

Finally, it is customary that the year number is decorated on top of the New Year bread. Get some nice New Year decorations and place them on the Vasilopita bread.

What are mastic teardrops and ground mahleb?

Mastic (masticha) teardrops and ground mahlab or mahleb (mahlepi) are two traditional ingredients used in Mediterranean cooking. Mastic is a resin that is harvested from the bark of the mastic tree, and it has a slightly piney flavor. Ground mahleb is made from the kernels of St. Lucie cherries, and it has a sweet, nutty taste.

These two ingredients are often used together in recipes for sweets and baked goods, as they complement each other perfectly. In addition to their flavor, mastic teardrops and ground mahleb also have unique textures that make them interesting additions to any dish.

Making ahead of time and storing

Everyone knows that the best Vasilopita Tsoureki is always made fresh. But luckily, there are a few easy ways to keep it fresh for longer. For example, you can store it in an airtight container for a few days.

Or if you want it to keep for longer, portion out your vasilopita in slices and freeze them. Defrost it when you’re ready to eat. Simply defrost the bread overnight, and then enjoy it fresh anytime you want!

And of course, don’t forget to make your melomakarona, kourabiedes, diples and kariokes(walnut filled chocolate crescents) to complete your Christmas and New Year’s platter!

Finally, to discover more Greek Christmas traditions and customs to celebrate with your loved ones have a look at my article on Greek Christmas traditions and customs.

Vasilopita Tsoureki recipe (Greek New Years Bread/ Vasilopita bread)

(101 votes, average: 4.91 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 4 hours 30 min
• Cook Time: 40 min
• Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 10 pieces
• Category: Breads
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Vasilopita bread is a sweet treat that is served on New Year, but it’s quite challenging to make. No worries! I’ve got you covered! Get your little helpers and follow my step by step recipe to create the perfect aromatic Vasilopita tsoureki to welcome the New Year!

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Ingredients

For the Vasilopita Tsoureki bread

• 110g sugar (3 3/4 oz)
• 75ml milk (5 tbsp)
• 60g butter (2 oz), plus extra for the pan
• 12g instant yeast (1/2 oz)
• 65ml tepid water (1/4 cup)
• 1–2 mastic teardrops
• 1 1/2 tsp ground mahleb
• 435g strong bread flour (15 1/4 oz), plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 tsp salt
• zest of 1/2 large orange
• 2 large eggs
• seeds of 1/2 vanilla pod (optional)

For the glaze

• 20g flaked almonds (3/4 oz) 
• 50g powdered sugar (1 3/4 oz), sieved to remove any lumps
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp water

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Instructions

Prepare the dough for Vasilopita Tsoureki

1. To prepare this Vasilopita tsoureki bread recipe start by making the dough first.

2. Combine the sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan and set over a medium low heat. Allow to heat through, whisking often until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.

3. Meanwhile, whisk together the yeast and the tepid water and set aside until frothy.

4. Using a mortar and pestle, start to crush the mastic. To stop it sticking and to help break it down, add the mahleb and continue to grind to a powder.

5. In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, orange zest and the spice mix, and set aside.

6. Lightly whisk the eggs in the bottom of a large mixing jug. Still whisking, gradually add the sugar, butter and milk mixture, which so not to cook the eggs should now be cool enough for you to comfortably hold your finger in. Next, whisk in the yeast mixture and the vanilla seeds, if using.

7. Stir the liquid mixture into the flour mixture using a fork, bringing the whole thing together into a rough dough.

8. With the dough hook attachment, knead the dough for 15 minutes until the dough is smooth, tight and stretchy. Using a dough scraper or a spatula scrape the dough into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap, leaving it until it has at least doubled in size – this should take about 2 hours.

Form the Vasilopita Tsoureki

1. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knock back any air bubbles. Using a knife or a dough scraper, cut the dough into three equal sized pieces.

2. Taking each piece of dough between your palms, half stretch, half roll the dough into roughly 2 1/2 cm (1 inch) ropes. Pinch these together at the top and shape into a braid; not loose enough that there are any air pockets between the strands, but not too tight that the dough is stretched any further. Shape the plaited rope into a coil, tucking the ends underneath the coil to tidy it up.

3. Generously butter a 18-20cm cake tin (7 inch) before lining it with a round of baking parchment.

4. Transfer the shaped dough to the prepared tin and cover again to rise again for another 2 hours.

Bake the Greek New years bread

1. Towards the end of the proofing time, pre-heat the oven to 150C (300F). Bake the dough for 30 minutes until risen a little, golden, and if you carefully slide the bread from the tin and tap it on the bottom, it sounds hollow. Leave to cool completely.

Decorate the Vasilopita bread

1. While the bread is cooling, toast the almonds in a small frying pan set over a medium heat, and set aside.

2. To decorate, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water to make the glaze. Push a coin, wrapped in aluminum foil into the base of the bread so it can be found in one of the slices, then spoon the glaze over the cake, pushing it around with the back of your spoon to make sure it falls into all the coils. Scatter with the toasted almonds, and serve.

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Keywords: vasilopita tsoureki, greek new years bread, vasilopita bread recipe

The post Vasilopita Tsoureki recipe (Greek New Years Bread/ Vasilopita bread) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

What is Chocolate Baklava?

Chocolate baklava is a delicious twist on the traditional baklava dessert. It is made with layers of flaky phyllo dough, filled with a rich chocolate filling and topped with a chocolate glaze.

While the basic ingredients are the same as traditional baklava, the addition of chocolate makes it a truly unique treat. The chocolate filling adds a richness and depth of flavor that is simply divine, and the chocolate syrup gives the dessert a beautiful shine.

Whether you are looking for something new to try or you are simply a chocoholic, chocolate baklava is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

• One for chocolate lovers: perfectly adapted from the traditional recipe
• Easy to make: the recipe uses filo pastry sheets so it is simple to create
• Ingredients from the cupboard: the basics for the recipe are normal store cupboard ingredients

Chocolate Baklava Key Ingredients

1. For the Chocolate Baklava: You’ll need the usual mixed nuts, ground cinnamon, cloves and unsalted butter with the sheets of filo pastry. The best chocolate I have found is 70% dark chocolate.
2. For the syrup: Sugar and water with orange zest and a cinnamon stick form the basics with lemon juice, runny honey and optional hazelnut liquor to finish it.

Key Preparation Tips

Create the Chocolate Baklava

First, pre-heat your oven to 150 C or 300 F. Grab the food processor and process the nuts until they are fine. Chop the chocolate by hand into very small pieces then stir in a pinch of salt and the spices. Add this to the nut mixture.

In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt the butter. Use the butter to brush a 20cm square (8×8 inch) baking sheet.
Layer one-third of the filo sheets into the bottom of the baking tray, brushing the pastry sheet with butter between each layer.

Spread one-half of the chocolate Baklava mixture on the top, add another one-third of the filo sheets and butter then add the rest of the filling and sheets. Brush the top with butter.

Use a very sharp knife to cut the Baklava into four equal pieces. Cut a bisecting line from the top corner of the pan to the bottom opposite corner. From this line, cut diagonal lines from the top of the cuts into the dividing lines, down to their opposite bottom corner. This should create an elongated diamond pattern.

Bake the chocolate Baklava in the oven for 1.5 hours until the pastry is golden and crispy.

Make the syrup

Combine the water, sugar, orange zest and cinnamon in a pan over high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved.

Remove from the heat and leave to infuse until the mixture has reached room temperature. Stir in the lemon, honey and hazelnut liquor if you are using it.

Finish the dessert

Once the syrup is cold and the Baklava is hot, gradually pour the syrup over it. Allow it to soak into the cuts and don’t worry if it looks a bit flooded, it will settle as the dessert cools. Serve when it is at room temperature.

What nuts can you use in chocolate baklava?

When it comes to chocolate baklava, there are no hard and fast rules about what kind of nuts you should use. Any mixture of nuts including walnuts, pistachios, almonds or hazelnuts will work well.

Feel free to choose a variety of nuts that have different textures and flavors. This will give your baklava an added depth of flavor and make it more interesting to eat.

If you’re not sure which nuts to choose, ask your local grocery store or bakery for their recommendation. They should be able to help you pick out the perfect mix for your next batch of chocolate baklava.

How to stop filo pastry drying out when using it

One of the challenges of working with phyllo dough is that it dries out quickly, making it brittle and difficult to work with. If you’re not careful, you can easily end up with a dry, crumbly mess. There are, however, a few things you can do to prevent this from happening.

Firstly, make sure to keep the dough covered at all times while you’re working with it. A damp towel or piece of cling film will help to keep the dough moist.

Secondly, work quickly and efficiently to avoid allowing the dough to dry out. And finally, if you do notice the dough starting to dry out, you can lay a wet paper towel on top of it to help rehydrate it.

Making ahead of time and storing

None of the ingredients are particularly perishable, so you can store the Baklava in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 5 days. Just be aware that if the weather is very warm, the butter in the pastry might start to turn rancid after a couple of days, so it’s best to eat it within 2 days if it’s hot outside.

The pastry will also start to soften after a day or so, as it absorbs the moisture from the syrup, but this just makes it all the more delicious.

Can you freeze Chocolate Baklava?

To freeze, simply wrap the tin tightly in clingfilm and foil. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.

Always allow frozen or chilled baklava to come up to room temperature before enjoying it, as the flavors and texture are better when it’s not ice-cold.

Serving suggestions

You can enjoy this extra syrupy Chocolate baklava on its own and it is perfect!  But if you want to try something different, some vanilla ice cream works nicely. You could even try some double (heavy) cream as this will mix with the syrup, although the pastry sometimes goes a little soft.

Similar recipes to try

If you love a traditional syrupy greek desert, the below recipes are made for you! Enjoy!

• Baklava Cheesecake
• Traditional Greek Baklava Recipe with Walnuts and Honey
• Greek baklava rolls recipe (Saragli)
• Chocolate Souffle in Baklava Pouches recipe
• Galaktoboureko with Kataifi (Greek Custard and shredded phyllo pie)
• Homemade Kataifi recipe
• Greek Ekmek Kataifi recipe (Custard and whipped cream pastry with syrup)
• Greek Yogurt Cake Soaked in Syrup Recipe (Yiaourtopita)
• Karidopita/Karithopita recipe (Greek Walnut Cake with Syrup)
• Greek Ravani / Revani recipe (Coconut cake with syrup)
• Traditional Greek Galaktoboureko recipe (Greek Custard Pie with Syrup)
• Loukoumades recipe (Greek Donuts with Honey and Walnuts)
• Orange cake with syrup – Portokalopita
• Samali – Semolina cake with mastic syrup 

Easy Chocolate Baklava recipe

(94 votes, average: 4.41 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 35 min
• Cook Time: 1 hour 35 min (plus cooling time)
• Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
• Yield: 24 pieces
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Are you a big fan of Baklava but can’t have a dessert without chocolate? Then you’ll love this mouthwatering Chocolate baklava recipe!

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Ingredients

For the Chocolate Baklava

• 250g mixed nuts (8 1/2 oz)
• 100g 70% dark chocolate (3 1/2 oz)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• salt
• 130g unsalted butter (4 1/2 oz)
• 200g filo pastry sheets (5 oz)

For the Syrup

• 250g sugar (8 3/4 oz)
• 150ml water (1/2 cup)
• zest 1 small orange
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 1 tbsp hazelnut liquor (optional)

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Instructions

1. To prepare this delicious chocolate baklava start by preparing the filling. Blitz the nuts in a food processor until fine. Chop the dark chocolate into very small pieces by hand, and stir in the spices and a generous pinch of salt. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan set over a medium heat, melt the butter.
3. Brush a 20cm square (8×8 inch) baking dish with butter. Gradually layer 1/3 of the filo sheets in the bottom of the dish, generously sprinkling melted butter between each layer.
4. Spread 1/2 of the baklava mixture across the pastry, then continue layering another 1/3 of the filo sheets sprinkled with butter. Repeat until you have used all the filling and the filo, brushing the top layer with the remaining butter so it turns crisp and golden in the oven.
5. Using a very sharp knife, cut the chocolate baklava into 4 equal, parallel pieces. Then, cut a bisecting line from the top corner of the pan to the opposite corner at the bottom. Using this line as a guide, cut more parallel, diagonal lines from the top of the cuts in the original dividing lines down to their opposite number at the bottom. You should be left with an elongated diamond pattern.
6. Pre-heat the oven to 150C (300F). Bake the baklava for 1 1/2 hours until the pastry is crisp and golden.
7. Meanwhile, to make the syrup, combine the sugar, water, orange zest and the cinnamon stick and bring to the boil over a high heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat to cool and for the cinnamon stick to infuse; once it has reached room temperature, stir in the lemon juice, honey and hazelnut liquor, if using.
8. Gradually pour the cold syrup over the hot baklava, making sure to pay attention to the cuts and to allow it to properly soak in. Don’t worry if things look a little flooded, everything will come right as the dish cools to room temperature, when it will be ready to serve.
9. Let the chocolate baklava cool down completely and serve after the syrup has soaked through. Enjoy!

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Keywords: chocolate baklava, baklava with chocolate recipe

The post Chocolate Baklava recipe appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So read along to discover my mouthwatering recipe, step by step photos and tips and tricks to make this little delight to perfection!

What is Cheesecake Baklava?

Baklava is a traditional dessert that is made with filo pastry, chopped nuts infused with aromatic Greek spices and soaked in a sweet syrup made with honey. It is a classic Greek dessert but its flavours also make for a great cheesecake idea.

So I took my traditional baklava recipe, deconstructed it to its key elements and flavours and recombined them to create this beautifully creamy cheesecake! It is light, airy, aromatic without being overly sweet. In other words, it is the perfect baklava cheesecake!

• Inspired by a classic: The cheesecake has all the key flavors and textures of a Baklava. The crunchiness of the phyllo, the aromas of Baklava spices, the nuttiness of its base, together with that deliciously light honey syrup that brings it all together!
• Easy to make: There are a few ingredients needed to make this but they are all things you’ll find in most stores and the recipe is super simple to follow.

Baklava Cheesecake Key Ingredients

To make your Baklava Cheesecake you’ll need:

1. For the baklava base: This combines digestive biscuits with a mix of nuts, ground cinnamon and cloves as well as butter to bind it together.
2. For the cheesecake layer: Full fat cream cheese is the basic ingredient with some double cream added along with runny honey and lemon juice.
3. For the syrup: The syrup for the Cheesecake baklava is made from sugar, orange zest, lemon juice and runny honey with a little ground cinnamon.
4. To top it off: Finally, butter, filo pastry and mixed nuts are used to top the baklava cheesecake.

Tip: You can also add a splash of orange blossom water if you can get it. It adds a beautiful floral element to the syrup but if you aren’t a fan of floral flavors, you can simply leave it out.

Key Preparation Tips

There are five main steps involved in making this Baklava cheesecake recipe:

1. Make the cheesecake base
2. Make the cheesecake layer
3. Make the Baklava syrup
4. Make the topping
5. Assemble the cheesecake

Make the cheesecake base

Transfer the biscuits to a plastic freezer bag and hold the top securely. Bash the biscuits with a rolling pin until they are reduced to crumbs.

Next, add the nuts to a food processor and blitz under finely chopped. Add with the biscuit crumbs to a bowl and stir.

Melt the butter and mix it with the biscuit and nuts mix then stir in the spices and salt.

Take a 21cm / 8 inch tin with a loose bottom and spray or brush with a neutral oil or cooking spray. Line the base and sides with parchment paper then press the biscuit mixture firmly into the bottom. Pop in the refrigerator to chill while making the cheesecake layer.

Make the cheesecake layer

Add the cream cheese, honey and lemon juice to a bowl and beat together until smooth.

In another bowl, whisk the cream until stiff. Fold into the cream cheese mixture, one-third at a time until it is thoroughly combined.

Scrape the cheesecake mix on top of the base, ensuring you reach all of the corners and the mix is as smooth as possible. Pop in the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours or ideally overnight.

Make the Baklava cheesecake syrup

Combine the sugar, 1 1/2 tbsp water, orange zest, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and cinnamon in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until all of the sugar has dissolved.

Remove the pan from the heat. Add the honey and orange blossom water, if using, to the pot. Leave it cool fully.

Make the topping for the Baklava cheesecake

To make the baklava cheesecake topping, warm the butter in a small saucepan until it is completely melted. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C or 350 degrees F.

Add parchment paper to a baking tray then roughly tear up a sheet of filo pastry and add to it. Once the butter has cooled enough to touch, pour it over the filo pastry and mix to coat it with your hands, making sure the pastry doesn’t form into clumps.

Bake until the pastry pieces are golden, usually around 10 minutes. Roughly chop the nuts.

Assemble the Baklava Cheesecake 

To make the cheesecake, use the spring release on the tin then grab a fish slice or similar utensil and slide it off the metal bottom, removing the parchment paper as you do. Then place the cake onto a serving platter and remove the parchment paper from the side.

Tip: If the cheesecake looks a bit rough around the edges and you want to smarten it up, take a palette knife and run it under hot water for a few moments. Dry it off and use it to smooth any rough edges.

Finish by spooning the syrup over the top then scatter the nuts and add the filo pastry shards, giving the Baklava cheesecake as much height as possible.

Variations

If you can’t get digestive biscuits or just aren’t a fan, Graham crackers make a great alternative for the cheesecake base.

Also, you can use frozen filo pastry for this recipe and allow it to defrost completely before you cook it. Don’t be tempted to substitute it for puff pastry or other styles of pastry as it simply won’t work properly.

Making ahead of time and storing

Ideally, finish the baklava  cheesecake when you are ready to serve it. Otherwise, the syrup will soak into the cake and it will not have the same flavor impact as when it is fresh.

You can store the leftover cheesecake in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. You may want to save a little syrup to add on top, freshening it up when you come to serve.

Serving suggestions

This Baklava cheesecake is ideally served on its own with a side of traditional Greek Coffee! However if you want to make it more glamorous, you could add a little whipped cream on the side or a big scoop of some vanilla ice cream.

Similar recipes to try

If you love a traditional syrupy greek desert, the below recipes are made for you! Enjoy!

• Traditional Greek Baklava Recipe with Walnuts and Honey
• Chocolate Baklava
• Greek baklava rolls recipe (Saragli)
• Chocolate Souffle in Baklava Pouches recipe
• Galaktoboureko with Kataifi (Greek Custard and shredded phyllo pie)
• Homemade Kataifi recipe
• Greek Ekmek Kataifi recipe (Custard and whipped cream pastry with syrup)
• Greek Yogurt Cake Soaked in Syrup Recipe (Yiaourtopita)
• Karidopita/Karithopita recipe (Greek Walnut Cake with Syrup)
• Greek Ravani / Revani recipe (Coconut cake with syrup)
• Traditional Greek Galaktoboureko recipe (Greek Custard Pie with Syrup)
• Loukoumades recipe (Greek Donuts with Honey and Walnuts)
• Orange cake with syrup – Portokalopita
• Samali – Semolina cake with mastic syrup 

Cheesecake Baklava recipe

(84 votes, average: 4.83 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 55 minutes (plus at least 8 hours chilling time)
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 8 portions
• Category: Dessert
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Everyone loves Baklava but sometimes you want to go a little further with your dessert. That’s where this simple Cheesecake Baklava recipe comes in! It has all the flavors and textures of a Baklava but is also combined with the best parts of a cheesecake.

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Ingredients

For the Cheesecake Baklava Base

• 100g digestive biscuits (3 1/2 oz)
• 80g mix of almonds, pistachios and walnuts (2 3/4 oz)
• 80g butter (2 3/4 oz)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• a pinch ground cloves
• a pinch of salt

For the Cheesecake Baklava Layer

• 400g full fat cream cheese, at room temperature (14 oz)
• 1 tbsp runny honey
• 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 200ml double cream, at room temperature (heavy cream or whipping cream) (7 oz)

For the Syrup

• 30g granulated sugar (1 oz)
• zest of 1/4 orange
• squeeze fresh lemon juice
• pinch ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp runny honey
• splash orange blossom water (optional)

For the Topping

• 25g butter (3/4 oz)
• 2–3 x sheets filo pastry
• 35g mix of almonds, pistachios and walnuts (1 1/4 oz)

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• 

  Chocolate Souffle in Baklava…

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  Karidopita/Karithopita recipe…

• 

  Homemade Kataifi recipe!

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  Greek Ravani / Revani recipe…

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Instructions

For the Cheesecake Baklava Base

1. To make this delicious cheesecake baklava start by preparing the base first. To make the base, transfer the biscuits to a plastic freezer bag and, holding the top closed securely, bash into crumbs with a rolling pin. Blitz the nuts until finely chopped in a food processor, and transfer both mixtures to a bowl, stirring until combined.
2. Gently melt the butter and mix it into the biscuit mix, followed by the spices and the salt.
3. Spray or brush a 21 cm / 8 inch loose bottomed tin with neutral oil or cooking spray and line both the base and sides with baking parchment. Press the biscuit mix firmly into the bottom to create an even base. Chill while you make the cheesecake layer.

For the Cheesecake Baklava Layer

1. Beat together the cream cheese, honey and lemon juice with a wooden spoon until smooth. 
2. In a separate bowl whisk the cream until stiff. Working in thirds, gently fold the cream mixture into the cheesecake mix until uniform. 
3. Scrape the cheesecake mix onto the base, making sure you get it in all the corners, working to get the mixture as smooth and even on top as possible. Chill for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight.

For the Syrup

1. To make the syrup, combine the sugar with 1 1/2 tbsp of water, the orange zest, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and the cinnamon in a small saucepan. Set over a medium high heat and stir until all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey and orange blossom water, if using. Leave to cool completely. 

For the Topping

1. To make the baklava topping, pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius / 350 fahrenheit, and gently melt the butter in a small saucepan.
2. Line a baking tray with baking parchment and roughly tear the filo sheet onto it. Once the butter is cool enough to touch, pour it over the filo and mix it all together with your hands, scrunching and separating the filo pieces to cover the sheet in rough shards. 
3. Bake for 10 minutes until the filo pieces are golden. Meanwhile, roughly chop the nuts. 
4. To assemble the cheesecake, carefully remove the spring release on the tin and using a fish slice carefully slide the cheesecake off the metal bottom and remove the sheet of baking parchment underneath. Transfer to a serving platter, removing the parchment around the sides of the cheesecake. 
5. Spoon the syrup over the top of the cheesecake, before scattering with the nuts and arranging the filo shards on top, trying to give it as much height as possible. Enjoy!

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Keywords: cheesecake baklava, baklava cheesecake, baklava cheesecake recipe

The post Baklava Cheesecake recipe appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So let’s get started! Read on to discover my tips and tricks to make your bread machine tsoureki to perfection, step by step photos and of course my bread machine specific recipe!

What is Tsoureki?

Easy bread machine Tsoureki key ingredients

• Flour: To make the perfect Tsoureki you will need to get yourself some strong white flour, also known as bread flour. It is high in protein, gluten, and it will help your tsoureki get a deliciously chewy and stringy texture and not fall apart when baking.
• Spices – mahlab, cardamom, mastic: What gives a traditional tsoureki its amazing smell and taste are its spices. You’ll need to get yourself some mahlab – it is a sweet smelling berry that gives off an almond-y, cherry like smell. You can find some either on Amazon or your local Greek or Arab deli. You’ll also need to get some cardamom powder, which will give the tsoureki a subtly woody smell. I also love using some mastic resin that gives the tsoureki a delicious smell that reminds me of pine and cedar.
• Orange zest: I love adding some orange zest to my tsoureki. I find it balances out the earthy spices with a delicious citrusy smell.
• Butter, Milk, Eggs: You’ll need some good quality unsalted butter made from cows milk. Also full fat milk and some good quality fresh eggs. The butter, milk and eggs enrich the dough and give it that delicious soft texture and also its color! I personally love picking the golden yolk eggs variety as they give the dough an amazing golden color!
• Instant yeast: You will need to get some instant yeast, also known as quick yeast or easy bake yeast to make this tsoureki in your bread machine. It is fast acting, it doesn’t need dissolving in water and is perfectly suited for bread machine use! If you only have dry active yeast, dissolve it in the water before adding it in the bread machine.
• Sugar: You’ll need some plain regular granulated sugar, which is super common in all supermarkets.
• Almond slivers: To garnish your tsoureki!

How to make your Tsoureki in your bread machine

Making a tsoureki in a bread machine could not be simpler! The bread machine will do all the hard work for you, kneading the dough and proofing it at the right temperature, resulting in the perfect tsoureki dough with no effort at all. You just need to:

1. Put the ingredients in the bread machine bowl and run the dough cycle
2. Let it proof until it has doubled in size
3. Shape it into a loose braid and let it proof until it has doubled in size again
4. Bake it in your oven

Preparing the tsoureki dough in your bread machine

Proofing your bread machine tsoureki dough

As the tsoureki dough is stiffer than a traditional brioche dough, it needs a lot longer to proof than most bread machine dough cycles allow for. Luckily there are a couple of ways to do that.

If your bread machine has a proofing setting, you are in luck! Set it and let the easy tsoureki dough proof for around 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size, as shown in the picture below. 

If your bread machine doesn’t have a proofing setting but has a sourdough starter setting, use that. It does exactly the same thing, setting the bread machine temperature to 30C/86F which is the perfect temperature to proof doughs! 

If you have an older bread machine model that doesn’t have a proofing or a sourdough starter cycle, then simply leave the tsoureki dough in the bread machine with the lid shut. It will take a little longer (around 4 hours) to proof as the temperature will drop, but it will still work great to proof your tsoureki dough. 

Whichever way you use, the dough is done proofing when it has doubled in size, its puffy and is almost doming out from the bread machine bowl as shown below.

Give your bread machine tsoureki dough as much time as it needs to reach this stage. It should take around 3 to 4 hours, but if it needs a bit longer, let it do its thing.

Shaping your bread machine tsoureki

Once your dough is ready, its time to start shaping your tsoureki bread. You’ll need to tip out the tsoureki dough from the bread machine bowl, gently deflate it and split it into three equal portions. I always use my scale to weight the dough and make sure the three portions are of the same weight.

Once you’ve portioned out your tsoureki dough, roll it gently with your hands and then grab it from the edges and shake it gently to shape it into a rope. Your three tsoureki dough “ropes” should end up being around 60cm/24 inches long, like the picture below.

After you’ve got your dough stretched out into dough ropes, it’s time to start shaping the tsoureki braid. Pinch the top of the three dough ropes together. 

Then bring the middle rope over the left one. Now, bring the now middle rope over the right one. Carry on until your braid is complete. Make sure your braids are barely tight. You want space for your dough to expand when proofing.

Once done, tuck the ends under the dough so your ends are nice and round. Now your tsoureki dough should look like the picture below. 

Finally transfer your dough onto some parchment paper and then into a deep baking dish. Cover with some cling film and set aside to proof for around 1 to 1 and a half hours or until the dough has doubled in size again. 

If your room is cold, use the oven trick again – turn on the oven light and place your dough in it. It will keep it warm enough and speed up the final proof.

Decorating and baking your bread machine tsoureki

Once the tsoureki braid has doubled in size and looks nice and puffy, its time to decorate and bake it. Preheat your oven to 160C / 320F fan. Crack your last egg in a bowl, add the water and whisk with a fork. This will become the glaze for the tsoureki.

The egg wash serves three purposes – it gives your dough that golden brown color, it softens the dough so it doesn’t crack as it expands in the oven and it allows your almond slivers to stick to the tsoureki!

Next, grab a pastry brush, dip it in the egg wash and gently brush the tsoureki with the egg wash. You want enough egg wash to cover the tsoureki all around and where the braids meet.

Finally, sprinkle on your almond slivers and put your easy tsoureki in the oven. Bake it for approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown throughout. As most ovens don’t distribute their heat evenly, half way through the baking time rotate your baking tray to make sure all sides of your tsoureki brown evenly!

Tip: If you notice that your tsoureki browns too quickly, cover it with some aluminium foil.

Troubleshooting

• My tsoureki did not rise: There could be two causes for this. Your yeast could have gone stale or the room temperature is too cold. Test your yeast by adding a spoon full in some Luke warm water with a pinch of sugar. If it foams after 10-15 minutes, the yeast is working. If your room is too cold, simply pop the tsoureki dough in your oven with the oven light on. If your home is extra cold boil some water, put it in a pan and place it in the rack underneath the tsoureki dough. This will supercharge the proofing process!
• My tsoureki is cracking on top: If your tsoureki has cracked on top its because the second proof was not complete before baking it. To prevent it from cracking on top, the braided tsoureki dough needs to double in size before baking. Finally make sure you use plenty of egg wash and sprinkle some where the braids meet to soften the dough and allow it to stretch when baking.

For more tips and tricks dont forget to also check out my traditional Greek Tsoureki recipe, made using a stand mixer.

How to store your bread machine tsoureki

To keep your bread machine tsoureki fresh, make sure you cover it tightly with some cling film. This helps lock in the moisture and as an added bonus, it softens the crust, making it even more delicious! 

As the tsoureki contains eggs and butter it will keep fresh for approximately 5 days if kept at room temperature. If you want to keep it for longer, simply slice it, wrap it in cling film or put it in some large freezer bags and pop it in the freezer where it will keep for 2-3 months.

When you want to eat it, simply take a slice out and pop it in the microwave for 30-40 seconds on full heat. It will taste as good and soft as fresh!

More traditional Greek Easter Recipes

If you love my easy tsoureki recipe then my handpicked recipes below are made for you!

• Tsoureki muffins
• Traditional tsoureki (made using your mixer)
• Koulourakia Greek Easter cookies 
• Traditional Cypriot Flaounas
• Cretan sweet cheese pastries 

Also if you love using your bread machine, then my delicious Bread machine sourdough bread recipe is made for you!

Easy Tsoureki in Bread Machine

(79 votes, average: 4.99 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 2 hours
• Rising time: 4 hours
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Total Time: 6 hours 45 minutes
• Yield: 1 tsoureki
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

Who doesn’t love a deliciously soft tsoureki! This is my super easy tsoureki recipe made using a bread machine. It needs less than 10 minutes hands on time to prepare because your bread machine does all the hard work, leaving you with more time to enjoy it!

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Ingredients

For the dough

• 500 gr (17.6 oz) strong white (bread) flour
• 5 tsp instant dry yeast
• 130 gr (4.6 oz) sugar
• 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) milk
• 90 ml (3 fl oz) water
• 80 gr (2.8 oz) butter
• 2 eggs
• 5 tsp ground mahleb seeds
• 1 tsp ground cardamon seeds
• 2–3 ground mastic “teardrops”
• 1/2 tsp salt

To glaze and decorate

• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp water
• 4 tbsp almond slivers

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Instructions

1. To prepare my easy tsoureki in bread machine start by adding the flour in the bread machine bowl.
2. Add the yeast on one corner of the bread machine bowl.
3. Add the tsoureki ground spices (mahleb, ground cardamon seeds, ground mastic), the salt, sugar and orange zest on the other side of the baking pan.
4. Crack the eggs in a bowl, pour in the water and whisk.
5. In the bread machine bowl, pour in the milk and the egg-water mixture and add half the butter.
6. Place the bowl in the bread machine and start the brioche dough programme. In the Panasonic SD-ZX2522, use menu 33. On the Panasonic SD-ZB2512 use menu 29. When the bread machine beeps, add the remaining butter and resume the programme.
7. If your bread machine doesn’t have a brioche dough setting, use the plain dough setting and half way through the kneading cycle add the remaining butter to your tsoureki dough.
8. Once the programme is complete, your bread machine tsoureki dough should look soft, springy and a little bit sticky.
9. Its now time to proof your bread machine tsoureki. Set your bread machine to the “rise” programme and let it proof for about 3 hours. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size and has almost filled the bread machine bowl.
10. If your bread machine doesn’t have a “rise” programme, use the sourdough starter programme and let the tsoureki dough proof for about 3 hours. If your bread machine doesn’t have a rise or sourdough starter programme, simply switch off the bread machine and leave the tsoureki dough in it for about 4 hours to proof.
11. Once the tsoureki dough has proofed, remove the bowl from your bread machine and gently deflate your dough.
12. Pour out the dough and using your scale split it in three equal portions.
13. Take one portion of dough and roll it a little using your hands. Then grab it by the ends and shake it to stretch it into a rope. Each tsoureki string should be around 60cm/24 inch long. This technique will align the gluten in the dough and help it form that delicious stringy texture that characterises there traditional tsoureki.
14. Lay your three tsoureki dough ropes side by side. Pinch the three dough ropes together on the top and fold the ropes over each other, forming a braid. Finally tuck the edges underneath.
15. Transfer your tsoureki dough in a large baking dish lined with some parchment paper. Cover with some cling film and let it proof for around 1 hour, until it has doubled in size. If your house is cold, try turning the oven light on and putting your dough in it, to accelerate the proofing.
16. Your dough is now ready to decorate. Crack one egg in a bowl, add a couple of tablespoons of water in it and whisk. Brush your tsoureki in a bread machine dough with the egg wash and sprinkle the almond slivers over it.
17. Preheat your oven to 160C / 320F and bake your tsoureki for 45 minutes until it turns golden brown on top. Halfway through the cooking time rotate your baking dish so that the tsoureki is evenly coloured.
18. Remove your bread machine tsoureki from the oven and let it cool down on a cake rack. Slice and serve with some chocolate spread or jam! Wrap it with some cling film to help keep it fresh!
19. Enjoy!

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Keywords: tsoureki in bread machine, tsoureki in bread maker, easy tsoureki

The post Easy Tsoureki in Bread Machine appeared first on My Greek Dish.

So read along to discover my delicious recipe, tips and tricks to make them to perfection, step by step photos and how to store them and my delicious variations!

What are Greek olive oil cookies? 

Cookies made with oil and without butter or eggs? You shouldn’t miss out on these delicious treats! Greeks enjoy them in the lead up to Christmas, as well as those who practice fasting in preparation for Lent. 

The recipe is especially popular among the Greek Orthodox because it is vegan and does not require any dairy products which are avoided at certain times throughout the year, such as the Christmas and Easter Lent.

Finally, Koulourakia stands for Koulouri, which is a round and hollow cookie, shaped like a bagel. However, over time this phrase has come to mean any type of cookie! So feel free to experiment with shapes that you fancy! Round ones, braided ones, the world is your oyster! And of course, ladi means oil so its name literally means “made from oils”.

What you’ll need to make Greek Olive Oil Cookies the traditional way

I like to make these koulourakia with orange juice but if you want something with a stronger flavor, use a combination of orange juice and Metaxa brandy or cognac.

This really enhances the taste and makes the orange flavor so much more delicious. But for a non-alcoholic version, just stick with the orange juice.

On the olive oil front, I like going for light one. Extra virgin or unfiltered olive oils tend to have a more distinct and “strong” flavour. 

So depending on your taste, a strong olive oil may not be desirable! Therefore, opt for a light coloured, filtered olive oil to make sure your cookies taste just right!

Key Preparation Tips

When preparing your Greek olive oil vegan biscuits you’ll need to be mindful of the below three things, to make sure your cookies taste simply amazing!

• Zesting the orange
• Add the right amount of “spices”
• Dont over knead the dough

When zesting the orange, make sure you only get the orange part and not the white bit. This is very bitter and will spoil the taste of the cookies.

With the cloves, be very careful when measuring them and side on less than more. If you have too much, they are overpowering and will block out the delicious flavor of the orange.

Finally, don’t forget that oil based cookies are easy to over-knead, which would result in the dough splitting and the oil coming out from the dough. To prevent that, make sure you are very gentle with the kneading and stop when the dough comes together!

Making ahead of time and storing

It is definitely best to make these crispy and fragrant cookies and bake them on the same day. Due to the olive oil, the dough doesn’t really store well if unbaked. The oil tends to seep out of the dough if left standing for too long.

So only mix them up when you want to bake them for the best results. Once baked, they will store in a cookie jar or airtight container for at least 5 days.

Serving suggestions

These Olive oil cookies are a perfect match with coffee, especially Greek coffee. They also work well with most types of tea as well! And as they contain no butter or dairy products, they are the perfect lenten treat and ideal if you observe a vegan diet!

Can I substitute vegetable oil instead of olive oil?

Yes you can substitute olive oil with vegetable oil. However, your biscuits will loose out a little bit of their distinctive flavour. If you do want to use alternative oils and retain the cookie’s flavour at the same time, just substitute half of the olive oil with a light vegetable oil.

Using a blend of oils will keep the olive oil flavouring while being a bit more economical to prepare. So a win win for both your budget and the taste as well!

More recipes to try

Greek Olive Oil Cookies

(92 votes, average: 4.90 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 30 cookies
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

Print Recipe

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Description

If you are looking for a classic Greek biscuit, then look no further than these Greek olive oil cookies or koulourakia ladiou. Cookies with olive oil are a little different from the usual chocolate or ginger but trust me, they will become your new favourite! 

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Ingredients

• 130g olive oil (4.6oz)
• 165g orange juice (or 140g orange juice and 35g Metaxa/ cognac) – 5.8 oz
• zest of 1 orange 
• 150g sugar (5.3 oz)
• 500g self rising flour (17.6 oz)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 tsp ground clove 
• 1/3 tsp baking soda 
• 4 drops vanilla essence 
• 80g sesame seeds for coating (2.8 oz)

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Instructions

1. To prepare these olive oil cookies add in a large bowl the orange juice and baking soda. Whisk lightly using a fork until the baking soda dissolves and starts foaming.
2. In the same bowl add all the liquid ingredients (olive oil, vanilla extract and cognac, if using) and the sugar and beat with a hand whisk until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
3. In another bowl add the dry ingredients: flour, salt, orange zest, ground cinnamon and clove. Mix with a spoon to combine. 
4. Add all the dry ingredients in the bowl with the liquid ingredients. Mix lightly with a spoon until all the ingredients incorporate. At the end use your hands to knead the dough softly until the flour is incorporated. Do not knead the dough too much because the oil will start to separate.
5. Preheat the oven at 170-180C fan (350F).
6. Divide the dough in 28-30 equal balls, approx. 30-35g / 1oz each.
7. Shape the cookies into braids or circles. 
8. Dredge the olive oil cookies in sesame seeds until covered on all sides.
9. Place the cookies on 2 baking trays lined with parchment paper.
10. Bake each tray for approx. 20-25 minutes until nicely coloured and cooked through. 
11. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely. Enjoy!

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Keywords: greek olive oil cookies, olive oil cookies, greek cookies, greek olive oil biscuits, olive oil biscuits

The post Greek Olive Oil Cookies (koulourakia ladiou) appeared first on My Greek Dish.

Making this Galaktoboureko with kataifi dough may sound a bit intimidating but if you follow my detailed recipe you will find out that it’s actually surprisingly simple! 

There are three key steps to make this delicious dessert: 

1. The first one is to prepare the syrup, which is really easy. All you have to do is put all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. The second step is to prepare the custard, which is the most tricky one, but I’ve got you covered below with my tips and tricks. 
3. And the third step is to work with the kataifi dough and assemble the galaktoboureko. 

So lets get started!

How to work with kataifi dough

Kataifi dough is a variation of the traditional phyllo dough, but instead of it being layer out in large sheets, it is made of fine strains of dough! If you’ve never worked with Kataifi dough (shredded phyllo) before, here are my tips to help you handle it right the first time:

1. It is very important to thoroughly defrost the kataifi dough. The key here is to let the dough defrost in the fridge overnight and not at room temperature, in order to prevent it from getting soggy.
2. Kataifi dough dries out very quickly, so it’s best to keep exposure to air at a minimum. Remove the plastic wrap only when you are ready to use it and when you are done preparing my Galaktoboureko with Kataifi, put it straight into the oven to bake.
3. Also to prevent it from drying, cover the kataifi dough with a damp towel and keep it covered, while you prepare the rest of the galaktoboureko.
4. Work the dough gently with your hands on a large surface or over the sink, so that you don’t end up with a kitchen filled with scattered shredded dough!
5. Untangle the kataifi with your hands, making sure that there are no knots. Spread the kataifi apart, so that its strands are separated.
6. When it comes to buttering the dough, drizzle with a generous amount of butter. This will help the kataifi dough bake throughout. Just make sure not to touch and push the dough with your brush, so that it remains fluffy.

How to prepare the custard for the Galaktoboureko with kataifi

The Galaktoboureko with Kataifi custard consists of two separate mixtures that are combined in the end. 

The first mixture is a semolina based custard made from cream, milk, sugar, vanilla and butter. To prepare it you’ll be heating up your cream, milk, sugar, vanilla and semolina and mix until the ingredients combine and form a cream. 

Tip: Add the semolina slowly to the warm milk and whisk constantly to prevent it from forming lumps. 

Make sure you use some good quality heavy cream. After plenty of experimenting I’ve found that the best custard texture and flavour comes from using a good quality double/heavy (35%+ in fat) cream. This will make your custard filling silky smooth and will taste simply divine!

The second mixture are the eggs beaten with sugar. It is important to whisk the eggs until foamy, glossy and having formed soft peaks. This could take about 4-5 minutes using an electric stand or hand mixer. It is done when you lift your whisk and the mixture is holding its shape but is still soft in texture. 

Tip: You could also use a hand whisker if you don’t have an electric mixer, but it could take a bit longer. Make sure you keep your mixer bone dry.

The egg mixture is then folded in the semolina mixture with light movements so that it gives the custard volume and becomes more fluffy.

Using a spatula add some of the egg-sugar mixture in the custard mixture and fold with light circular movements from the bottom up. Gradually add all the egg mixture and fold. Set aside to cool down.

Tip: Make sure the semolina mixture is cool enough (under 50C/120F) when folding in your eggs so they don’t scramble.

How to prepare the Greek Galaktoboureko with Kataifi Syrup 

No Galaktoboureko is complete without some delicious syrup! You can experiment with different flavourings, but my favourite are cinnamon and lemon, which I find make it taste incredibly fresh and smell absolutely divine! 

To prepare the syrup simply pour all the ingredients besides the honey in a small pot and bring it to the boil. Let it boil until all of the sugar has fully dissolved. Remove it from the heat, add the honey, stir and let it sit until it fully cools down. You’ll need your syrup to be at room temperature when the Galakroboureko with kataifi comes out of the oven so make sure you make your syrup first!

Similar recipes to try

If you love a traditional syrupy greek desert, the below recipes are made for you! Enjoy!

• Baklava Cheesecake
• Chocolate Baklava
• Traditional Greek Baklava Recipe with Walnuts and Honey
• Greek baklava rolls recipe (Saragli)
• Chocolate Souffle in Baklava Pouches recipe
• Galaktoboureko with Kataifi (Greek Custard and shredded phyllo pie)
• Homemade Kataifi recipe
• Greek Ekmek Kataifi recipe (Custard and whipped cream pastry with syrup)
• Greek Yogurt Cake Soaked in Syrup Recipe (Yiaourtopita)
• Karidopita/Karithopita recipe (Greek Walnut Cake with Syrup)
• Greek Ravani / Revani recipe (Coconut cake with syrup)
• Traditional Greek Galaktoboureko recipe (Greek Custard Pie with Syrup)
• Loukoumades recipe (Greek Donuts with Honey and Walnuts)
• Orange cake with syrup – Portokalopita
• Samali – Semolina cake with mastic syrup 

Greek Galaktoboureko with Kataifi (Custard and shredded phyllo pie)

(85 votes, average: 4.72 out of 5)
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• Author: Eli K. Giannopoulos
• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 90 min
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 15-16 pieces
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baked
• Cuisine: Greek

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Description

A mouthwatering variation of the traditional Greek galaktoboureko with kataifi dough (shredded phyllo dough)! Golden crispy kataifi dough wrapped around fluffy aromatic semolina custard and bathed in syrup.. Well one couldn’t ask for more!

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Ingredients

Base Ingredients

• 500g kataifi dough (18 oz.)
• 250g butter (9 oz.)

For the Syrup

• 450g water (16 ounces)
• 780g sugar (28 ounces)
• peel of 1 lemon
• a cinnamon stick
• 10 drops of lemon juice
• 100g honey (3 ounces)

For the Custard

• 160g finely ground (thin) semolina (6 oz.)
• 220g sugar (7.5 oz.)
• 500g milk (17.6 oz.)
• 4 eggs
• 70g butter (2.5 oz.)
• 500g double (heavy) cream (17.6 oz)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt

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Instructions

Prepare the syrup

1. To make this Galaktoboureko with Kataifi recipe, start by preparing the syrup. Into a small pot add the sugar, the water and lemon peel, cinammon stick and lemon juice and bring to the boil. Let it boil until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Remove the pan from the stove, add the honey and stir. Leave the syrup aside to cool completely.

Prepare the custard

1. To prepare your custard for this Galaktoboureko with Kataifi, pour into a saucepan the milk, the cream and half the sugar, and bring to the boil, making sure that you don’t whisk the mixture as the sugar at the bottom of the pan protects the milk from burning.
2. As soon as it comes to the boil and heats up, gradually add the semolina and the vanilla extract, whilst whisking. Turn the heat down to medium heat and whisk constantly until the mixture becomes creamy.
3. Remove the pan from the stove, add the butter and a pinch of salt and fold. Let it cool down while you are preparing your meringue. Just remember to whisk it once in a while so it doesn’t form a skin on top.
4. Place the eggs and the rest of the sugar in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer or electric hand whisk to whisk the eggs and sugar until the mixture is very fluffy and foamy and forms soft peaks. If using a mixer, set it to high speed and whisk for about 5 minutes.
5. Now fold together the two mixtures, from step 3 and step 4. With a spatula add 1/4 the egg-sugar mixture in the custard mixture and blend with a light circular motion from the bottom up. Gradually add all the mixture and fold. Set aside to cool.

Assemble the Galaktoboureko

1. For this Galaktoboureko Kataifi recipe, you need a large baking pan, approx. 25x30cm (or round 28cm diameter) / 10 x 12 inch.
2. Melt the butter (low heat) and butter the bottom and sides of the baking pan.
3. Untangle the kataifi using your hands, making sure that there are no knots and spread the kataifi apart, so that there are no tangles. This process should take about 4 minutes.
4. Add a bit more than half of the kataifi on the bottom of the baking pan.
5. Using your brush, sprinkle thoroughly the Kataifi with half of the melted butter. Make sure not to touch the dough with the brush.
6. Tip in the custard, smoothing the surface with a spatula
7. Cover the custard with the remaining kataifi. Press it down lightly and shape it. Use your pastry brush to help you turn the Kataifi dough towards the outer edges and bottom of the pan to seal the galaktoboureko with kataifi.
8. Drizzle the remaining melted butter on top.

Bake the Galaktoboureko 

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/ 320F.
2. Bake for approximately 90 minutes, until golden and crispy. If you see it browning to quickly cover it with some aluminium foil.
3. As soon as the Galaktoboureko is ready, slowly ladle the cold syrup over the pastry. The kataifi galaktoboureko needs to be hot and the syrup cool.
4. Once the syrup is fully absorbed and the kataifi galaktoboureko is cool to the touch it is ready to serve. This should take about 1-1 1/2 hours! Enjoy!

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Keywords: galaktoboureko with kataifi

The post Galaktoboureko with Kataifi (Greek Custard and shredded phyllo pie) appeared first on My Greek Dish.