Galaktoboureko is a Classic Greek pie that is made with semolina custard and wrapped in flaky, buttery, crisp phyllo. These rolls are the individual version and might be better than the original dessert. They are baked to a golden perfection and then drenched in aromatic syrup.
How to work with Phyllo:
- Thaw the phyllo in the refrigerator overnight in its packaging.
- 1-2 hours before you will work with the phyllo allow it to sit at room temperature. Keep it packaged.
- Remove the phyllo from its packaging and work with it on a clean, dry surface.
- Keep a large dry kitchen towel along with a damp towel handy. When phyllo is exposed to air for extended amounts of time, it dries out and begins to crumble. Any phyllo that is not being handled cover it first with the dry towel then with the damp towel.
Make-Ahead Tips: These sweet custard phyllo rolls are the perfect dessert for entertaining because they can be made ahead and frozen (before they’re baked) for 2-3 weeks. Bake a few at a time or bake them all! They will bring smiles to your guests’ faces.
- The syrup can be 2-3 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Assemble the rolls, place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and freeze them for an hour or until they are frozen and firm.
- Wrap the tray tightly with plastic wrap so that the pastries do not absorb any freezer smells and store them in the freezer for up to 3 weeks.
- These can be baked frozen. Preheat the oven to 350 °F and bake them on the center rack until golden.
- Pour the cooled syrup over them and serve.
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GALAKTOBOUREKO ROLLS: GREEK CUSTARD & PHYLLO ROLLS
Galaktoboureko is a Classic Greek pie that is made with a semolina custard and wrapped in flaky, buttery, crisp phyllo. These rolls are the individual version and might be better than the original dessert. They are baked to a golden perfection and then drenched in an aromatic syrup.
Ingredients
- 1-pound phyllo pastry, thawed and at room temperature wrapped in plastic packaging
- ½ pound unsalted butter, melted
- Ground cinnamon for garnish
For the Custard:
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup semolina flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- Zest of a small orange
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the Syrup:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups of water
- 1 cup honey
- Juice of orange
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F, 180°C.
- Begin by making the syrup. Combine the sugar, water, and orange juice in a small saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar has dissolved. Stir in the honey. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
- To make the custard filling:
- Pour the milk into a small pot and heat until scalding hot.
- Combine the eggs, yolk, sugar, salt, semolina, and cornstarch in a mixing bowl. Whisk until thick and pale yellow. About 3 minutes.
- Add orange zest and mix to incorporate.
- Pour 1 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture and whisk well to incorporate.
- Add the mixture to the pot with the milk in it and cook over medium-low heat while constantly stirring with a whisk until it thickens to the consistency of pudding. It should not become too thick. As it cools it will thicken.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Notes on working with phyllo pastry:
- Thaw out the phyllo pastry in the refrigerator at least 1 day before using it.
- Allow the pastry to sit out (in its packaging) at room temperature at least 1 hour before using it.
- Take the pastry out of plastic packaging at the time of use (not before) or it will dry out and crumble.
- To keep the pastry from drying out while working with it, place a dry kitchen towel over it and then a slightly damp kitchen towel over that.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
- Take one sheet of phyllo, drizzle some melted butter over top. Fold it in half lengthwise. Place a small scoop (using a small ice cream scoop), about 1-1 and ½ tablespoons of custard at the bottom of the pastry, keeping it centered.
- Fold over both sides (right and left long sides) of pastry over the cream.
- Drizzle with some more melted butter.
- Roll the pastry all the way up keeping it a bit loose to allow room for the custard to cook during baking. Place on the prepared baking tray.
- Keep doing this until all of the phyllo and custard are finished.
- Some custard may remain. Enjoy it sprinkled with some cinnamon. It’s delicious!
- Brush the tops with the remaining melted butter.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden.
- Pour half of the syrup over the custard rolls. Let sit for about 1 hour to absorb the syrup.
- Dust with ground cinnamon and serve.
- The remaining syrup can be served alongside the custard rolls.
- Enjoy!
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Hi Dimitra, you always make things look so easy. I have made a few of your recipes and they never disappoint. My daughter is getting married next year and I would love to make galaktoboureko for the cookie table. Is it possible to freeze these for a week or two? Thanks.
Yes, this pastry freezes so well! You can bake it straight out of the freezer until golden 🙂 Make the syrup 2-3 days ahead of time as well 🙂 Easy peasy 🙂
I love them I made them before but with regular flour,I am always looking you up for different recipes, now I wish I could get the recipes for the pumpkin pie with phyllo,I type it in the search box on your recipes but it doesn’t seem to come up, Anyway I will make them with semolina flour this time
Hi Eleni! The recipes are all in the accompanying ebook. Right here:https://www.dimitrasdishes.com/product/the-holiday-table-thanksgiving-menu-1/
If you are making these ahead of time – what is the best way to store the baked galaktoboureko and for how long can that be done?
Baked galaktoboureko tastes best served the same day. It keeps fresh in the refrigerator, stored in an airtight container up to 5 days. You can assemble the rolls and bake the amount that you will serve and freeze the rest (unbaked) up to 1 month.
I am going to try this recipe for a do next week. I will be freezing the unbaked rolls so want to know if they should be drizzled with melted butter before freezing or before baking? Thanks!
Hi NK! You’re gonna be so happy you made these 🙂 Go ahead and drizzle the butter before freezing so that way all you have to do when you’re ready to serve these is bake them and drizzle with the syrup. Enjoy!
Made these for the Greek Festival. The public did not get a bite- they were “prepurchsed”.
I made 300! The platters disapeared. Our priest guranteed there was a large donation! Apparently no one makes the rolls.
I did alter the recipe. I used 1/2 sugar water, doubled the honey. I let the rolls cool a bit and like finikia I dipped the rolls into the warm syrup. It keeps them crisper, as that is how I like them. Your the best! And my church community thanks you as well!
Lovely! I am going to make them this weekend for my son who started remote learning two weeks ago! Too early! Thank you for your book. I am a vegetarian so I will try to tweak them. Have you made Fasolia Gigantes or skordalia using bread, not potatoes? I would love to watch a video on those.
Thank you so much. I am loving your videos!
Thanks so much for being here! I have 2 versions of gigantes on my blog. Here are both links:https://www.dimitrasdishes.com/gigantes-baked-giant-bean-casserole/. and https://www.dimitrasdishes.com/greek-style-gigantes-spinach-casserole/
I will do a skordalia from bread recipe as soon as possible. Thanks so much for your suggestions and support 🙂
Hi, this looks amazing!! If I freeze these, do I bake them frozen or do I have to wait for them to thaw? Also, when I dip them in the syrup, are the rolls cold and the syrup hot or the syrup cold and the rolls hot or both rolls and syrup hot or both cold? Thanks
Hello!
You can bake them frozen and then pour the cooled syrup over the top once they come out of the oven. Enjoy!!
Dimitra
Can these be made with dairy free milk, like almond milk?
Yes, they can 🙂
Hi Dimitra, what # of Phyllo Pastry you are using for this recipe.
Hi Kelly, I use #4 phyllo for these rolls.
Delicious! Thank you! But all my rolls split, even after doubling the phyllo and rolling more loose.
I’ll need to try again, maybe less filling
I added some lime juice to the syrup to cut some of the sweetness.
Hi Dimitra! I love your videos. Can I make the custard a day before I roll 6 them on the phyllo?
I’m a bit confused as to how to roll these. You said ‘fold phyllo in half, lengthwise, and add custard to bottom, keeping it centered’…by bottom, do you mean where the fold is? Then ‘roll rest of way’…so I’m thinking from the picture the sides are open and the custard is visible? Does it leak out prior to cooking? Also do you add the 1 cup of hot milk to egg mixture a little at a time so eggs don’t cook or do you cool milk off before? Do you have a video showing this? Thanks for cleaing up my confusion.
I have long been reluctant to work with phyllo, but after your explanation on ‘how to,’ I am definitely going to have a go.
Thank you.
Hi Dimitra
I have tried this recipe several times and at long last my custard filling is a great success. I feel your demonstration on YouTube is invaluable and I follow it religiously! My only downfall has been that the filling pours out from the sides upon baking. I have tried to pierce the top of the rolls a couple of times to allow pressure release from another area however this hasn’t been successful. Can you offer some advice please?
Yours in Greek cooking,
Anna. X
I have a question for you, Can bougatsa be made in rolls and can they be frozen?
Yes and yes 🙂
Hi Dimitra,
Is it possible to make this recipe as a whole tray of galaktoboureko, instead of the rolls?
Thanks very much 🙂
Yes!! Here’s that recipe:https://www.dimitrasdishes.com/galaktoboureko-greek-custard-pie/
can you make the custard the day before and roll the next day?
Yes 🙂
I made these and they were amazing, my mum and dad absolutely enjoyed the recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I love this recipe but I am a bit lost on the folding part. Some pictures would be amazing help
I added the YouTube video 🙂
I have made this a couple of times. Thanks to your videos it has been so helpful. One question after it bakes dose it ne d to go into fridge. I want to keep it crispy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It is best made fresh the day that you plan on serving it. Leftovers should be stored in the fridge 🙂
Hi the recipe looks delicious . Can I freeze the rolls before baking ?
Yes, they can be frozen for up to 2 -3 months. They never last that long in my freezer…lol!
Should you pour the syrup over the pastry when its piping hot just from the oven, or can they be cooled first and then add the syrup?
You can pour cool syrup over the hot pastry. Or, wait till the pastry cools completely and then pour hot syrup over it. I recommend cooled syrup over hot pastry.
Hi Dimitra,
I can only find 9″x14″ fillo dough-1 lb., 2 pack each containing 20 sheets. I think you are using 18″ x 14″. Am I correct? If so do you have a suggestion on filling and rolling this size?
Could I use two sheets and over lap, place the filling your recommend then roll? Or should I do half the filling you recommend? How small would they be!
Thank you. I enjoy your website very much!
Hi Mary, Yes, you can put two sheets together to make the rolls 🙂
Hi Dimitria,
Can the orange zest/juice be replaced with lemon?
Also, would 2% milk also work for this instead of whole milk?
Thanks,
Melanie
The zest can be replaced with lemon. Also, 2 % would work but it wouldn’t be as creamy.
Can you make the custard the day before you assemble the rolls?
yes, that would work 🙂
Hello Dimitra,
Can you freeze the rolls?
if so, cooked or uncooked?
Yes, once the rolls are assembled they can be frozen up to 2 months. Happy Baking!