Galaktoboureko
Γαλακτομπούρεκο
Semolina custard baked between layers of buttered filo, then soaked in lemon and cinnamon syrup while hot. Crisp on top, soft and set inside.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Γαλακτομπούρεκο.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 hr
- Rest
- 2 hr
- Total
- 3 hr 40 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Galaktoboureko is a custard pie. Milk is thickened with fine semolina, sugar and eggs into a smooth, thick custard flavoured with vanilla and lemon zest, poured between layers of filo brushed with butter, and baked until the top is deep gold and crisp. Cold syrup goes over the pie the moment it comes out of the oven. The rule is that one of the two must be cool, or the filo turns soggy instead of soaking up the syrup and staying crisp on top. It is then left to cool so the custard sets. Score the top layers before baking so it cuts cleanly.
What you'll need
13 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
- Syrup
- Custard
- Pastry
Ingredients
Syrup
Custard
Pastry
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Make the syrup first. Put the sugar, water, lemon peel and cinnamon in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 5 minutes, add the squeeze of lemon juice, and leave to cool completely.
10 min
Step 2
Heat the milk with half the custard sugar and the lemon zest until steaming. Rain in the semolina, whisking all the time, and cook over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes until thick like porridge. Off the heat, stir in the butter and vanilla. Whisk the eggs with the rest of the sugar until pale, beat in a ladle of the hot custard, then whisk the eggs back into the pan. Press cling film onto the surface and cool for 15 minutes.
30 min
Watch: Keep whisking while the semolina goes in, or it forms lumps that will not cook out.
Step 3
Heat the oven to 180°C. Brush a tin about 23 by 33 cm with melted butter. Lay in half the filo, one sheet at a time, brushing each with butter and letting the edges hang over the sides.
10 min
Tip: Keep the filo you are not using under cling film with a damp tea towel on top. It dries and cracks in minutes, and a wet cloth straight on the sheets makes them stick together.
Step 4
Pour in the custard and level it. Fold the overhanging filo over it. Lay the rest of the sheets on top, brushing each, and tuck the edges down the sides. Brush the top well and score it into portions through the top layers only, without cutting into the custard. Flick a few drops of water over the top.
10 min
Step 5
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is deep golden and puffed.
50 min180°C
Step 6
As soon as it comes out, ladle the cold syrup slowly over the hot pie, letting each ladle soak in before the next. Leave to cool for at least 2 hours before cutting along the scored lines.
120 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 361 kcal
- Protein
- 6.3 g
- Carbs
- 49.1 g
- Fat
- 15.9 g
- Saturated fat
- 8.6 g
- Fibre
- 0.8 g
- Sugar
- 34.3 g
- Sodium
- 208 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Wheat
- Milk
- Eggs
- Vegetarian
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Melted butter for the filo → Clarified butter or ghee
No milk solids to burn, so the top bakes crisper and more evenly. This is what most pastry shops use.
Tips
- Cold syrup on a hot pie, or hot syrup on a cold pie. Never both hot, never both cold.
- Once cool, keep it covered in the fridge, because the custard is milk and egg; it keeps three days. The filo softens there, so let a piece sit out for half an hour before eating.
History & culture
It is a pastry-shop sweet, sold by the piece in every zacharoplasteio, and a home dessert for name days and Sundays. Northern Greece and Epirus, with their rich dairy and their pride in pies, are known for it. People eat it at room temperature, often mid-morning with a coffee, or cold from the fridge in summer.
The name joins the Greek gala, milk, with the Turkish börek, a filled pastry. Filo pies with milk or custard fillings were made across the Ottoman Empire, and the syrup-soaked version became a fixture of Greek pastry shops in the 20th century. Its cousin without syrup, bougatsa, is the breakfast pastry of Thessaloniki.
Traditional — Pastry shops often use clarified butter and thicker filo. Some home versions put filo only on top. Northern cooks sometimes replace part of the semolina with cornflour for a silkier custard; pure semolina is written here.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Galaktoboureko take?
3 hr 40 min all in — 40 min prep, 1 hr cook, 2 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 15 pieces. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Milk, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Vegetarian, Nut-free.
9 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Saucepan, Mixing bowl, Baking tray, Oven, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.
How much sugar?
300 g of Sugar.
How much sugar?
150 g (half with the milk, half with the eggs) of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
Melted butter for the filo → Clarified butter or ghee. No milk solids to burn, so the top bakes crisper and more evenly. This is what most pastry shops use.
What should I watch for?
Keep whisking while the semolina goes in, or it forms lumps that will not cook out.
Any tips from this recipe?
Cold syrup on a hot pie, or hot syrup on a cold pie. Never both hot, never both cold. Once cool, keep it covered in the fridge, because the custard is milk and egg; it keeps three days. The filo softens there, so let a piece sit out for half an hour before eating.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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