Portokalopita
A Greek phyllo pastry layered with sweet orange custard and soaked in fragrant honey syrup. Golden, flaky, and intensely citrusy—a show-stopping vegetarian dessert.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 8
- Calories
- 398
- Protein
- 7g
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
- ¾ cup fresh orange juice
- 5 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 4 whole large eggs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 12 sheets phyllo dough sheets
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup honey
- ½ cup water
- 1 whole cinnamon stick
Instructions
- 1
Pour 2 cups of milk into a small saucepan and set it over medium heat until tiny bubbles form around the edges and it steams lightly, about 5 minutes—do not let it boil.
- 2
While the milk heats, place the orange zest, orange juice, cornstarch, and sugar into a medium bowl and whisk together until the cornstarch dissolves and the mixture turns pale, about 1 minute.
- 3
Add the 4 eggs to the bowl with the orange mixture and whisk until completely uniform in color, about 30 seconds.
- 4
Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from cooking into clumps—pour about a quarter at a time, waiting a few seconds between pours.
- 5
Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and place over medium heat, whisking constantly until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon with a creamy layer, about 4 minutes.
- 6
Remove from heat and stir in the 3 tablespoons of butter until melted and fully blended into the custard.
- 7
Pour the custard into a shallow dish or bowl and cover the surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming, then let it cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- 8
Set the oven to 350°F and wait until the indicator light goes off or the oven beeps to confirm it has finished preheating, about 10 minutes.
- 9
Brush the entire bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with melted butter using a pastry brush, coating every surface with a thin, even layer.
- 10
Lay one phyllo sheet flat in the baking dish and brush the entire surface with melted butter using smooth, broad strokes—work gently so the paper-thin sheet does not tear.
- 11
Repeat step 10 five more times, stacking phyllo sheets one on top of another, each brushed with butter—you will now have 6 sheets total as the bottom layer.
- 12
Pour the cooled orange custard evenly over the phyllo base, spreading it to the edges with a spatula to create an even, flat layer.
- 13
Lay one phyllo sheet flat on top of the custard and brush with melted butter using the same smooth, gentle technique as before.
- 14
Repeat step 13 five more times with the remaining 6 phyllo sheets, stacking and brushing each one until all are used.
- 15
Using a sharp knife, cut the entire portokalopita into 8 equal portions—cut 2 long parallel lines from top to bottom, then cut 3 perpendicular lines from left to right to create a grid of 8 rectangles, cutting all the way through the phyllo to the bottom.
- 16
Slide the baking dish into the preheated oven and bake until the phyllo is deep golden brown and crispy, about 25 minutes—the surface should look like burnished copper.
- 17
While the portokalopita bakes, combine the honey, water, and cinnamon stick in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
- 18
Remove the syrup from heat and let it cool to room temperature—this takes about 10 minutes and should be lukewarm when poured over the hot pastry.
- 19
Remove the baked portokalopita from the oven and immediately pour the warm honey syrup evenly over the entire surface, letting it soak into all the cuts and crevices.
- 20
Let the portokalopita rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving so the phyllo stays crispy and the custard sets, about 15 minutes.
Tools you’ll need
- small saucepan
- medium bowl
- whisk
- 9-by-13-inch baking dish
- pastry brush
- rubber spatula
- sharp knife
- cutting board
- oven
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