Galaktoboureko - Custard cream dessert with phyllo pastry

Galaktoboureko, although it is an all-seasons dessert it is, probably, the most common dessert people have after a great Easter Sunday feast! No matter how much they have eaten there is no way to neglect to have a tempting piece of galaktoboureko with crunchy phyllo and creamy custard! It is a very popular dessert because, although it is syrupy, it is considered one of the rather light(ish) desserts of that kind

This recipe is dedicated to my dear husband, not only because it is his favourite Greek dessert, but also because I want to thank him for all his support and help he gives me with this blog

Ingredients (for a round baking pan of 28cm):
6 eggs
225gr. of granulated sugar
170gr. of fine semolina
1/2 tsp of grated lemon zest (or orange zest)
1 tbsp of lemon juice (or orange juice)
1 lt 440ml of fresh milk, full fat
112gr.-225gr. of butter, melted
500gr. phyllo pastry sheets, defrosted

For the syrup:
265gr. of sugar
240ml of water
1 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice
1 slice of lemon peel
1 cinnamon stick

Method:
Prepare the syrup first because it is important to be cool by the time you will need it.

In a saucepan, put the sugar, the cinnamon stick and the water and leave to come to the boil in medium-low heat until the sugar is totally dissolved. Add the lemon peel, reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat, discard the cinnamon stick, add the lemon juice (do not stir) and leave aside to cool.

In the bowl of a food processor beat 2 eggs with the 1/3 of the sugar in high speed until the mixture is light and pale in colour, add 2 more eggs and another 1/3 of the sugar, and repeat. Continue beating the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the semolina, lemon juice, and grated lemon zest. Continue the beating and add the milk and 2 tbsp of the melted butter. Beat for another 5-6 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Put the egg mixture into a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir vigorously with a whisk or a wooden spoon until you have a thick cream. Remove the saucepan from the heat immediately and set aside.

Get the round baking pan and using a brush grease well the bottom, sides, and its rim with the melted butter. Open the packet with the phyllo sheets and count them. Half will be used on the bottom, half on top.

Lay the first phyllo sheet on the bottom of the pan, starting at one side while letting excess phyllo to hang over the rim. Brush the phyllo with butter. Lay another sheet over the first, brush with butter, and continue in the same way until half the phyllo sheets have been used.

Stir the cream well with a wooden spoon and pour it over the bottom layer of phyllo sheets. Using the back side of the spoon spread the cream evenly so it covers the bottom completely and with no air bubbles.

Bring the hanging pieces of phyllo over the filling one at a time, they will reach and cover about half of the filling, while brushing each one of them with butter until all are folded in. Fold in corners as well so all the phyllo sheets are inside the pan and brushed with butter.

Get the rest of the sheets and start laying them one at a time on top of the filling. Start from the side where the filling is covered and the excess sheet now will hang over the rim of the pan on the opposite side where the filling was not covered before. Again brush each sheet with melted butter. Then one at a time, fold in the extending pieces and butter them all. When all the sheets have been folded in and te corners as well, brush the top with butter. The filling needs to be all tucked in so it won't run off the phyllo while baking.

Using a very sharp and pointy knife cut the surface of the phyllo sheets but not all the way through, just to leave a trace so to be easier to cut it properly after baking. Try to cut the pieces evenly so to have about 20 pieces.

Put the rack one level lower than the middle of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes until the phyllo is crispy and golden brown.

Take the pan out of the oven and using a ladle immediately pour over the cold syrup evenly to cover all the surface of the pastry and the corners as well. Leave the galaktoboureko to settle for a few hours and to allow the syrup to be absorbed properly.

Note:
Galaktoboureko because of the milk it should be eaten within a day or two. You can keep it in the fridge covered in an an airtight container.