Posted by: Lisa UK 07-08-99 3:23 PM
Custard Pie (Galaktoboureko)
Custard
2 pints / 1.2 litres milk
5 large eggs, separated
7 oz / 200 grams vanilla sugar or 7 oz / 200 grams sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract
5 oz / 140 grams fine semolina
1/2 oz/ 15 grams unsalted butter
one 140 ounce / 400 gram package of phyllo pastry
8 oz / 225 grams unsalted butter melted
Syrup:
10 ounce / 280 grams honey
8 ounce / 225 grams caster sugar
Zest of one orange, very finely shredded
Juice of 1 small lemon
3 tbs orange flower water or rosewater
Heat milk to just below boiling point; remove from heat and set aside.
Beat egg yolks and sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until pale and creamy.
Beat in semolina and then gradually beat in hot milk.
Rinse out saucepan and return custard mix to a low heat.
Cook stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until custard is thick enough to come away from sides of pan, about 6 minutes or so.
Transfer to a bowl and press some waxed paper on top of it to stop a skin forming.
Preheat oven to Gas 5 / 375F / 190C.
With a wire whisk beat custard until smooth.
Whisk egg whites until they hold stiff peaks.
Stir one third into custard to lighten it and then quickly fold in rest.
Divide pastry into 2 portions; rewrap one and refrigerate.
Lightly brush a 9" x 13" cake tin with melted butter.
Line with 1 pastry sheet pushing it up sides with your knuckles.
Brush with butter and lay another sheet on top; repeat with remaining unrefrigerated pastry but do not brush last sheet.
Pour custard into tin very carefully.
Lightly smooth with a palette knife and gently fold over any pastry extending beyond edges of tin.
Remove next phyllo from fridge.
Lay one sheet over custard letting it hang over sides of tin and brush lightly with butter.
Repeat and do not butter last sheet.
Lightly tuck top sheets all round edges of pie.
Butter top sheet and then score into squares with a very sharp knife.
Reduce oven to gas 4 / 350F / 180C.
Bake pie in center of oven for 40 minutes until custard is set.
It should be golden brown and should move only slightly.
Cover with foil if it browns too quickly.
Syrup:
Combine honey, sugar, orange zest and 16 fl oz/475 mil water in a pan.
Bring to boil, and simmer for 10 minutes until syrup lightly coats back of a spoon.
As soon as you remove pie from oven, cut down through scores to bottom of tin.
Add lemon juice and flower water to syrup and pour over pie.
Serve cold.