Orange Phyllo Cake (Portokalopita)
Portokalopita, Greek orange phyllo cake. It's fluffy, syrup-soaked, aromatic, and best served cold from the refrigerator. I ate it daily last year in Kefalonia, at Avithos taverna. For such loyalty, I received the recipe. I was amazed at the amount of sugar they used: 850g!!! Can you imagine how much sugar I ate in those 10 days? But because it's served cold, it doesn't taste overly sweet. In my recipe, I reduced the sugar to 500g. So, from time to time in the summer months, I let myself be seduced by its aroma and enjoy it guilt-free. After all, it's one of the best Greek desserts I've tried on my vacations.
Ingredients
1 package phyllo dough (400g)
4 eggs
50g sugar
zest of 1 organic orange
1 teaspoon vanilla paste (or 1 vanilla pod)
200ml neutral oil (sunflower for example)
2 packets baking powder (20g)
200g Greek yogurt
Syrup
250ml orange juice (from 2-3 oranges)
250ml water
450g sugar
zest of 1 organic orange
2 cloves
1/2 tablespoon orange blossom water (or 1 tablespoon orange liqueur; optional)
Servings: 8 large
How to prepare orange phyllo cake (portokalopita)
- Unroll the phyllo dough and cut into pieces with scissors. You can tear them by hand too, but scissors are easier. Spread the dough pieces on your work surface and let them dry for a few hours (3-4 hours) until they become brittle. Stir them occasionally so they dry evenly. If you're in a hurry, spread them on baking trays and put them in the oven at 100°C for about 15 minutes, stirring twice.
- Prepare the syrup ahead of time so it has time to cool. Put all ingredients on to boil, let simmer for 5 minutes after it starts bubbling. Let it cool.
- Beat the eggs, sugar, orange zest, and vanilla with a mixer until the sugar dissolves (about 3-4 minutes). Continue mixing and add the oil in a thin stream. Add the yogurt and baking powder and mix until combined. You'll have a soft batter that flows off a spoon.
- Add the dried dough pieces to the mixture above. Mix gently.
- Put the batter in an 18 x 28 cm baking pan. Level with the back of a spoon.
- Bake the cake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes. Insert a knife tip in the center and check that it's set after this time.
- Let the cake rest for 5-10 minutes, then you can portion it as desired.
- Pour all the cooled syrup over the hot cake, using a spoon to distribute it evenly and slowly over the entire surface. You'll see that at the end the cake will absorb the syrup more slowly, but that's okay.
- Let the syrup-soaked cake cool, then move it to the refrigerator.
- Serve cold, optionally with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Phyllo dough pieces drying
Eggs beaten with sugar, oil and yogurt
Batter in the baking pan
Baked cake
Syrup-soaked cake
