How to Make Delicious Greek Desserts: A Sweet Journey into the Heart of Greece

When we think of Greece, images of sparkling blue ocean, ancient architectural ruins, and delicious cuisine flood our minds. But hold on a second—let’s zoom in on the ultimate Mediterranean gem: Greek desserts! From honey-soaked layers of filo to nutty indulgences, Greek sweets are irresistible and often surprisingly simple to make at home. Ready for a quirky, delicious adventure? Let’s dive into how to create mouth-watering Greek desserts that’ll make you say “opa!” after every bite.

Baklava: the Beyonce of Mediterranean desserts

Hands down the most popular Greek dessert, Baklava is the ultimate gem of all Greek desserts. It is considered the queen of Greek desserts with its flaky and golden layers soaked in syrup and stuffed with nuts. While you watch the setting sun on your trip to Greece, the baklava will accompany you. Let’s see how to make it.

Ingredients:

• 500 gm Filo dough (thin pastry sheets)
• 200 gm mixed nuts (walnuts, pistachios, and almonds)
• 250 gm melted butter
• 5 gm ground cinnamon
• 2 gm ground cloves
• 200 ml honey
• 150 gm sugar
• 150 ml water
• 10 ml lemon juice
• 3 gm lemon zest

Procedure:

• Chop the mixed nuts thinly or pulse them in a food processor. Add ground cinnamon and clove to add the kick of the spice.
• Filo dough can be tricky because it’s so thin and dries out fast. Have your melted butter ready in one bowl and your nut mixture in another. Keep the filo dough covered with a damp towel to prevent it from becoming brittle.
• Take a rectangular baking dish and brush it generously with butter.
• Lay down your first sheet of filo dough and brush some butter on top. Keep repeating the process with 10 more filo sheets.
• Once the 10th sheet is laid, add a thin coat of nuts and spice mixture. Now, alternate between 4-5 sheets of buttered filo and a sprinkling of nuts until you run out of both.
• On top, add 10 more sheets, brushing butter in between every layer. Be generous with the butter without restraint.
• Using a sharp knife cut the baklava into squares or diamond-shaped pieces.
• Pop the baking dish in the oven and bake it at 175°C for about 45-50 minutes or until golden and crispy.
• While the baklava is being made, prepare your syrup.
• In a saucepan, add honey, sugar, lemon juice, and water. Heat them until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then add the lemon zest (optional).
• Let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes. It will be slightly thick and will soak into the baklava perfectly.
• Take the baklava out of the oven once it is done and let it cool down for 5 minutes.
• Pour the syrup from the top. Make sure the syrup is coating every piece of baklava. The key is to use hot syrup on cool baklava or vice versa.

Galaktoboureko– the custard meets Filo

Galaktoboureko is a classic Greek dessert made with layers of flaky filo dough filled with a creamy semolina custard. It's baked to golden perfection and then soaked in a fragrant syrup, making each bite a delightful mix of crispy and soft textures.

Ingredients:

For the Custard

• 150 gm semolina
• 1 lt milk
• 150 gm sugar
• 80 gm butter
• 4 eggs
• 5 ml vanilla extract

For the pastry

• 450 gm Filo dough
• 200 gm butter
• For the syrup
• 200 ml water
• 200 gm sugar
• 50 ml honey
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick

Procedure:

• Start by making the custard. Heat the milk in a large pot but don’t boil it.
• In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until they become fluffy and pale in color. Once it is made, add them to the warm milk.
• Now, add the semolina, vanilla extract, and butter to the mixture and keep stirring. You have to stir constantly until the custard thickens. Set it aside once it’s ready.
• Take the filo dough out of the package and cover it with a cloth to restrict it from drying out.
• Butter up your baking dish and lay some Filo sheets brushing each layer with a generous amount of butter.
• When the custard is cooled down, pour it on the sheets. Smooth it down with the help of a spatula. Then layer the remaining phyllo sheets on top, brushing each with butter.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Then pop the baking dish in the oven and bake them for 45 minutes at 180°C.
• While your Galaktoboureko is being baked, it’s syrup time! Combine the water, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, and lemon zest in a saucepan. Bring it to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
• Let it boil for about five minutes. Remove the syrup from heat and let it cool slightly.
• Once the Galaktoboureko is out of the oven, spread the warm syrup. Let the dessert soak the syrup and enjoy by cutting the dessert into small square shapes!

For those who enjoy indulgent treats like choco lava cake, a Cadbury mousse, or a gooey chocolate pudding, these Mediterranean sweets offer a refreshing yet comforting alternative that will elevate any dessert table.