Galaktobouriko- Greek Semolina Custard Phyllo Dessert

Galaktobouriko is a traditional Greek dessert that can be made in a pan, or into individual rolled portions (about 4 inches long). My family makes galaktobouriko in a pan, and serve it at practically every holiday.

Galaktobouriko- Greek Semolina Custard Phyllo Dessert

Ingredients:

For custard:

• 7 cups milk 
• 8 eggs
• 1 cup semolina (if possible, use fine semolina, otherwise, Farina brand is fine)
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons cognac
• dash of vanilla extract
• 1 stick sweet butter

For syrup:

• 3 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 lemon peel
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 8 whole cloves

Other ingredients:

• 1 lb. #4 Phyllo pastry sheets (we use Apollo Fillo)
• 2 sticks sweet butter

 Instructions:

For syrup:
***Note: I usually make the syrup first because it must be cooled to room temperature before pouring over the custard/phyllo dessert

- Boil all ingredients (sugar, water, lemon juice, lemon peel, cinnamon sticks and whole cloves) in a pot until thick for about 10 minute. Mixture must have a syrup-like consistency.

- Allow to thoroughly cool to room temperature.


For semolina custard and phyllo crust assembly:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

- In a pot, heat milk, 1 stick sweet butter and semolina on very low flame, stirring constantly to avoid sticking at the bottom, until thick, and remove from fire.

- In a blender, blend eggs and sugar, and fold into semolina mixture.

- Reheat to thicken and remove from fire. Cover the pot with a clean towel, and allow mixture to cool.

- In a separate pot, melt 1 stick sweet butter, and using a pastry brush coat a 9x14 stainless pan with the butter. (Melt additional stick as necessary)

- Rotate pan to north-south orientation. Arrange alternating layers of phyllo and butter (8 sheets of phyllo in total) at the bottom of the pan.

- Arrange 2 sheets of phyllo in the horizontal position overlapping the two and allowing about a 4 inch excess to hang over the sides of the pan.

- Pour cooled semolina mixture into the pan, and fold over the excess flaps of phyllo (in order to create a phyllo crust on every side).

- Brush the folded over phyllo with melted butter and layer an additional 8 sheets of phyllo with butter in between each layer. Do not forget to brush butter on the top layer of phyllo.

- With a scissor, trim excess phyllo from the sides of the pan, leaving about 1 inch all around (to cover the edges of the pan).

- With a butter knife, gently tuck the layers of phyllo into the sides of the pan avoiding cutting through the phyllo.

- Evenly score the phyllo into even squares, and bake 40-45 minutes or until phyllo turns evenly golden brown.

- Remove from oven and cut through each piece following the scored phyllo.

- Using a soup ladle, pour the cooled syrup evenly over the hot phyllo, and allow the syrup to soak through in between each pouring. Pour enough syrup to ensure the custard and phyllo absorb it, however, avoid drowning it in the syrup.

Kourambiedes- Greek Powdered Sugar Cookies

Kourambiedes are my favorite Greek cookies of all time. They can be made for every holiday, but my Giagia makes them for me whenever I ask... My mother makes them for Christmas and Easter, and we give platters of them to our friends and family.

Kourambiedes- Greek Powdered Sugar Cookies
Ingredients: Yields about 30 kourambiedes

• 1 lb. whipped sweet butter
• 3 tablespoons confectioner's sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup cognac 
• 1/2 cup chopped, slivered almonds
• approximately 4 lbs. all-purpose flour
• 3-4 lbs. confectioner's sugar, for coating the cookies

Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

- Whip butter in electric mixer until fluffy.

- Add sugar, baking powder, egg yolks, and cognac, and beat well.

- Add chopped almonds and mix until evenly distributed.

- Add flour, a little at a time, and continue mixing, until non-sticky dough is formed.

- Use rolling pin and roll out dough to a 1/2 inch thickness and use 2 inch round cookie cutter to make even sized cookies.

- Repeat rolling and cookie cutter process until all dough is used.

- Place kourambiedes on greased cookie sheet allowing enough space in between each cookie for rising while baking.

- Bake for approximately half hour, until a light golden color.

- Line a clean table surface with parchment/wax paper, and sift a layer of confectioner's sugar on the wax paper.

- Place hot cookies over the confectioner's sugar, allowing 1 inch around each kourambie.

- Sift remaining confectioner's sugar thoroughly covering each kourambie.

- When cooled, place kourambiedes individually in cupcake liners and serve.

Revani- Greek Semolina Cake

There are many variations to Revani, some people add poppy seeds, garnish with powdered sugar, almonds or coconut flakes. My family's recipe is plain, which is what we prefer. Revani can be made for any holiday and is a wonderful, quick recipe.

Revani- Greek Semolina Cake
Ingredients:

For cake:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups coarse semolina (we use Farina brand)
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups melted shortening (Crisco)
• 8 eggs, beaten
• 3 drops lemon extract 

For syrup:

• 4 cups water
• 2 cups sugar
• peel of one lemon

Instructions:
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

- Mix all dry ingredients (flour, Farina, sugar, and baking powder) in a bowl.

- Add melted Crisco shortening to dry mix.

- Add beaten eggs and lemon extract to mixture.

- Mix well all together.

- Pour into greased 9x14 pan.

-Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the cake has a golden color.

- While the revani is baking, prepare the syrup: add water, sugar and lemon peel into a pot, and boil until thickened into a syrup like liquid, about 15 minutes.

- After the revani is done baking, while still hot, score and cut through into diagonal diamond-shaped pieces, without removing from pan.

Revani- scored and cut through

- Pour hot syrup evenly over the revani.

- Remove and arrange pieces in a platter when cooled. (Any remaining pieces should be refrigerated and eaten later- within 3-4 days).

Revani- cut & arranged on a platter

(Just a note: I made this recipe, but completely forgot to take pictures of it, and my family and I enjoyed it so much that there was none left, however, rather than not including pictures, I got these images from Google.)

Tsourekia- Greek Easter Sweet Bread

Tsourekia are traditional sweet breads that are made for Easter, though many families make them throughout the year. They are typically made on Holy Thursday, the day we dye our eggs red. They can be made in a long braided loaf, or a braided round loaf.

Tsourekia- Greek Easter Sweet Bread
Ingredients: Yields about 8-9 braided loaves

• 1 lb. whipped sweet butter
• 1 dozen eggs
• 3 tablespoons Rosewater (anthonero)
• 1 teaspoon crushed mastic (mastiha)
• 1 tablespoon mahlep, boiled in 1 1/2 cups of water (use mahlep infused water only- NO SEEDS)
• 5 envelopes yeast
• 4 cups white granulated sugar
• 3 cups milk
• about 7 lbs of all-purpose flour
• egg wash- (2 eggs and 2 tablespoons Rosewater)
• 8-9 dyed red eggs for decoration

Instructions:
-Beat butter and sugar in electric mixer.

-Beat eggs separately and add to butter/sugar mixture.

-Add mahlep water and crushed mastic.

-Warm milk. Separate 1 1/2 cups of milk and dilute yeast in it.

-Add to diluted yeast to mixture, along with the remaining warmed milk.

-Combine together, adding flour a little at a time until pliable and not sticky (if your mixture is still
sticky, knead small amount of flour into it, until it becomes fully pliable).

-Separate mixture into two large mixing bowls to allow for proper rising.

-Cover/cocoon mixing bowls with clean cloths and a blanket in a draft free warm area, and allow dough to rise for approximately 4 hours. (We usually put the mixing bowls on our couch and cocoon them there, in order to create a warm environment).

-After the dough rises, re-knead and cover again for about 4 hours.

-After the dough rises for a second time, separate the dough into approximate 8 oz. portions. You will use three 8 oz. portions per loaf, so make sure you separate your dough evenly.

-Knead each 8 oz. portion to remove any air from the dough and roll into about 12-14 inch long rope-like coils. (The fatter the coil, the fatter the loaf will be).

-Place 3 rope-like coils on greased cookie sheet and form a braid leaving enough space at the top of
the braid to wrap a red egg. (You can fit 2 tsourekia on one horizontal cookie sheet, but make sure to leave enough space between the two so when they rise and bake, they do not stick together).

-Tuck all loose ends of dough coils under to look neat and pretty.

-Once all the tsourekia are braided, cover with cloth and blankets, and allow to rise about 3-4 hours.

-Pre-heat oven to 380 degrees F. approximately half hour before baking.

-After they have risen, brush each tsoureki thoroughly with egg was, avoiding the egg at the top of the loaf.

-Bake in preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes until golden brown.

 

Just a little pro-tip: Tsoureki makes incredible french toast! Just substitute tsoureki for regular bread  and cook french toast as usual...

Koulourakia- Greek Easter Cookies

This is a traditional Greek Easter dessert recipe. They are typically made during Holy Week, and are eaten on Holy Saturday night after the official celebration of Jesus' resurrection. As a young girl, my Giagia would make koulourakia with her mother in the village in Greece. Her mother would sing a song (a traditional lamentation song sung on Holy Thursday for the crucifixion of Christ) to her while making them. As a little girl, my mother would help my Giagia make her koulourakia for Easter, and my Giagia would sing the song to her. And now, every year when my Giagia makes her koulourakia, my mother and I go to help her and she sings the song to us. I intend on upholding the tradition with my children some day as well...

Koulourakia- Greek Easter Cookies
Ingredients: Yields about 120 koulourakia

• 1 and 1/2 cup milk
• 6 eggs
• 2 and 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 lb. whipped sweet butter
• 2 teaspoons baking ammonia
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• dash of vanilla
• 3 tablespoons Rosewater (anthonero)
• lemon zest from one lemon
• about 7 lbs flour (we use Gold Medal All-Purpose Flower and we stick to that every year)
• egg wash- (2 beaten eggs, mixed with 2 tablespoons Rosewater)

Instructions:
-Pre -heat oven to 350 degrees F.

-Beat butter in electric mixer until fluffy.

-Add sugar, eggs and Rosewater into the butter.

-Dilute ammonia and baking powder in milk and add to butter mix, along with the vanilla and lemon zest. 

-Once mixture is blended well, start adding flour in small increments until pliable but not hard.
(If you have a large enough mixer, you can add the flour into the mixer. If not, pour butter mixture into a large mixing bowl and add flour slowly while hand kneading.)

-Use a medium size ice cream/baking scoop to make even sized dough balls.

-Knead and roll out the dough into 6 inch rope-like portions, fold the rope in half, and twist twice.

-Place on a greased cookie sheet and arrange in rows. (Leave enough space around each cookie in order to ensure they do not connect with other cookies while baking).

-Bake for 15 minutes, and brush egg wash on each cookie.

-Bake 30-40 minutes in total (depending on your oven) until light golden color. 

Coming Up This Week!

Since Greek Easter just passed (Sunday, April 12), the recipes I will post this week will be traditional Greek Easter recipes that have been in my family for years. Stay tuned... I can guarantee you'll want to try these delicious desserts!

Spanakorizo- Spinach Rice with Shrimp

This recipe was one that I ate as a child. Though I did not appreciate it as much when I was younger, it brings back fond memories of my Giagia (grandmother) and I totally love it. Traditionally, spanakorizo is made without shrimp, however, my mother and I have modified the dish to make it more wholesome. The recipe could also be made with tomatoes, however, my family prefers less tomatoes, and so we keep the spanakorizo more lemony. Hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I do now!

Shrimp Spanakorizo
Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fresh spinach
• 1 lb. uncooked shrimp
• 1 tbsp. chopped dill
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper for taste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2/3 cup rice
• 1 and 1/2 cups water
• juice from half a lemon

Instructions:

Here are our main ingredients.

Prepare all your ingredients:  Chop onion and dill and set aside. De-vein and remove tails from shrimp and set aside.

 Dill & onion (before I chopped them up).

Shrimp- de-veined and tails removed (before cooking)

In a pot, pour in olive oil.  Add in onions and saute in oil until the onions are soft and opaque.
Wash the spinach thoroughly, drain, and chop.

(I prefer my spinach whole because once it is cooked, it wilts- the choice is yours!)

Add the spinach to the sauteed onions and simmer slowly until almost completely cooked.
Once the spinach is almost completely cooked, add in the shrimp, and let cook until opaque.
Add water, bring to a boil and stir in rice, chopped dill, and salt and pepper.

Here is our rice- this is a bit more rice because I was making 6-8 servings, because my family is a typical Greek family - huge, loud and always hungry!

Cover and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is soft and all the water is absorbed.
Add the juice of half a lemon before removing the rice from the heat.
Remove from heat, let it cool for about 5-10 minutes, and serve while hot.

Here is our Shrimp Spanakorizo...looks delicious!

And remember, though it is not completely necessary, pour yourself a nice glass of white wine &  enjoy!