Simple and Sumptuous Greek desserts for you to try

The Greeks have many desserts up their sleeves using the best of local citrusy flavors to the Turkish-influenced sweets and desserts which uses phyllo pastry. In this article, we will venture into the easier ones from a very simple local cheesecake, or honey cake to a rice pudding that is a staple in Greek desserts. Local honey, cheese, and wheat have been enriching Greek cuisine for a long time, and now you can have a taste of them too by trying their simple dessert recipes. 

1. Melopita

(Makes 8 servings)

• 600 gm fresh ricotta cheese
• 100 ml honey
• 3 eggs
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

For drizzling:

• 60 ml honey
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, and grease an 8-inch springform pan.
2. Take a big bowl, and add the ricotta cheese, honey, eggs, cornstarch, and vanilla extract.
3. Whisk all the ingredients until they form a smooth, lump-free batter. 
4. Pour it into the greased pan and give the pan a little shake to even out the top.
5. Slide that pan into the preheated oven. 
6. Bake for 45-50 minutes, the top will turn a beautiful golden brown, and the center will barely jiggle when you give the pan a gentle shake.
7. Take out the cake, let it sit in the pan for five minutes, demold, drizzle with honey, followed by a dusting of ground cinnamon, and serve. 

2. Rizogalo

(Makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 475 ml water
• 100 gm short-grain rice
• 600 ml milk, divided
• 50 gm sugar
• 60 gm cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Grab a saucepan, and bring water and rice to a boil.
2. As soon as it boils, turn down the heat and let it cook uncovered, stirring now and then. By the 30-minute mark, the rice will be nice and soft and most of the water will evaporate.
3. Pour in 475 ml of milk and sugar, and increase the heat, boiling the mixture, while stirring constantly. 
4. Take a bowl, and whisk the remaining milk and cornstarch. Mix it until smooth.
5. Once your milky rice is boiling, pour the cornstarch slurry and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
6. Take the pan off the heat. Your rizogalo should be thick and creamy now.
7. Grab six serving bowls and divide the rice pudding equally among them. 
8. Sprinkle each bowl with a pinch of cinnamon. Let the rizogalo cool down to room temperature. This should take about 30 minutes.
9. Once cool, pop them in the fridge and chill for three to four hours before serving. 

3. Greek Honey Cake

(Makes 12 servings)

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 125 gm all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 170 gm butter, softened
• 150 gm white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 60 ml milk
• 100 gm chopped walnuts

For the syrup:

• 200 gm sugar
• 340 gm honey
• 175 ml water
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Take a bowl, and whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and orange zest. Set aside.
3. Take a big bowl, and beat butter and 150 grams of sugar using an electric mixer. Beat for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is light.
4. Add the eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until just incorporated after each addition. Do not overmix. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Take a saucepan, and add honey, sugar, and water. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat, for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, increase the heat, and let it boil for 2 minutes. 
9. Once the cake is out of the oven, let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, while it's still warm, cut it into diamond shapes.
10. Slowly pour that warm syrup all over the cake and let it soak.