«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup

It’s a complicated name and a lengthy title and description for a new type of dessert that you may wish to attempt for this year’s Epiphany (January 6th) in order to replace the more traditional king’s cake or the brioche and/or galette des rois, because it’s luminous and festive and creamy and crunchy too !

It’s a 3-step dessert. 

You’ll need the creamy filling, that is thickened with semolina (the extra-fine texture preferably) and just a little butter and a few eggs, but not too much, because it’s more like a milk pie or a semolina pudding and not a genuine egg-yolk custard.

Of course, the crust is necessary, bottom, sides and top, but the regular layers of filo sheets used for this dessert, are replaced with shredded filo, called “kataifi” or “kadayif” or “kadaif” that is a shredded or more precisely an angel hair or thin noodle version of filo dough. Melted butter will be used to humidify the strands, as well as a quick spray of water, if you remember, right before baking it.

And the syrup, flavored with cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves (which I love) and citrus peels, will be used to soak the crispy crust, after it’s baked and dried out. And remember, hot pie or cake needs cold syrup for soaking, or vice versa, just like with baklava, otherwise the result will be mushy.

And there you go ! A bright, zesty and lightly spiced milky dessert filling, wrapped in a crispy and syrup-soaked filo filament crust.

Happy Epiphany festivities to all … :)

«kataifi galaktoboureko» semolina custard pie with shredded filo filaments crust & syrup

04.01.2025

12 slices x 150 grams each

ingredients

kataifi dough crust :

  • 250 grams kataifi (shredded or angel hair) filo dough
  • 125 grams unsalted butter, melted

soaking syrup (for the baked crust) :

  • 400 grams (2 cups) fine white sugar
  • 315 ml (1 ¼ cups) water
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) citrus juice (clementine, lemon, lime)
  • 15 grams (3 tbsp) citrus peels (clementine, lemon, lime) 
  • 5 grams (1 small) cinnamon stick, broken
  • 0,5 grams (5 whole) cloves
  • 0,5 grams (2 fresh) bay leaves
  • 50 grams (2 ½ tbsp) honey

semolina custard pastry cream :

  • 1 liter (4 cups) whole milk
  • 200 grams (1 cup) fine white sugar
  • 2 grams (½ tsp) white artificial vanilla powder (or ½ tsp vanilla extract)
  • 1 gram (¼ tsp) salt
  • 100 grams (¾ cup) extra fine semolina
  • 125 grams (2 large) eggs, beaten
  • 60 grams (¼ cup) butter, cold & sliced in cubes

instructions

  • *note : quantities may vary depending on the size of your baking dish (diameter or length and height) so it’s better to have more quantities handy and to adapt them to your baking dish; for example, you can increase the quantities of kataifi dough and butter to have thick bottom, side and top crusts or make more custard cream just in case the dish is larger and it’s always better to make more syrup because the pie can dry out if left out on the counter for several days, so a little extra syrup is nice, in case you need it …
  • before starting the recipe, take your kataifi dough out of the fridge so that it is at room temperature and reserve it in its packaging (so it doesn’t dry out)
  • prepare the syrup by combining the water, cinnamon, cloves, citrus peels and bay leaves and bring to a boil for 10 minutes (to infuse the flavors), then add the sugar and let it gently boil for another 10-15 minutes until thicker (like thin maple syrup), then add the citrus juices and simmer for another 5 minutes and remove from the heat and add the honey, stir well  and let cool, then strain and set aside
  • to prepare the semolina custard cream, heat up the sugar, milk, salt and vanilla without boiling (do not stir yet because the sugar at the bottom prevents the milk from burning) and when it begins simmering, start stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved, then add the semolina (start with ½ cup) at medium-high heat while whisking continuously until it thickens (add the remaining ¼ cup if not thick enough after 5 minutes but 1 tbsp at a time and whisk until thick like a bechamel white sauce), then add the beaten eggs, whisking quickly so they don’t cook in the cream, then add the butter, a few pieces at a time while whisking, then set aside to cool down
  • to shape the crust, beginning by melting the butter and set it aside and generously brush the baking tin with melted butter
  • *note : the inside of my enameled baking tin measures 23 cm in diameter and 4 cm high …
  • remove the kataifi dough from its packaging and unroll it to lay out the loop it forms and cut both sides of the kataifi into long strands and beginning by using up to two-thirds of the kataifi dough, and place the strands horizontally in the center to line the baking tin, leaving the kataifi strands extend beyond the baking dish at both ends and pushing it down into the corners of the baking tin and continue lining the baking tin (in the other direction) with the kataifi strands until a thick base and thick sides are formed, carefully and generously brush all of the kataifi dough with two-thirds of the melted butter 
  • pour the room temperature semolina custard (until it almost reaches the top) into the baking tin lined with kataifi pastry dough, then fold over all the extra strands of kataifi pastry evenly over the top of the custard and cover with the remaining one-third of the strands of kataifi dough until a thick top crust has been formed
  • *note : I didn’t want to overfill the pie crust so I had 1 cup of leftover semolina custard cream that I poured into 2 small bowls and refrigerated so they could firm up and had for breakfast the next morning, delicious …
  • drizzle and brush the remaining butter over the top and press down lightly to even out the top, quickly spray with some water for a crunchier topping
  • preheat your oven to 165°C for 10-15 minutes
  • bake for 60 minutes until golden brown (rotate the baking tin after 30 minutes) then remove from the oven, let it cool down for 5 minutes maximum and immediately and gently pour the cooled syrup evenly over the top (use only ½ cup of the syrup at a time until the syrup is absorbed after a few minutes, then repeat 3 more times, waiting for the syrup to be absorbed each time
  • let the pie rest at room temperature for at least 2 hours (or until the next day) and decorate with a few bay leaves, a cinnamon stick and sugar preserved clementine slices, and collect any syrup that may have collected or pooled around the bottom of the dessert and repour it on top as required, because the top crust slightly dries out, if the pie sits on the counter for over 1 day) … use a serrated knife to cut neat slices and use a cake spatula to serve, so the bottom crust doesn’t stick to the plate …

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