13/05/2024
Greek Custard Rolls (Galactobureko Rolls)

These beautiful little pastry rolls with a semolina custard filling are drenched in a sweet sticky honey syrup that is so loved by the Greeks. This recipe was handed down to me by my girlfriend Kelly, so in our house, they are called Kelly Rolls.
Makes:
18
Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus overnight refrigeration)
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 litre whole milk
- 2/3 cup caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanillin sugar
- 40g butter
- 1 cup fine semolina
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 egg
- 1 x 375g pkt filo pastry (chilled not frozen)
- 250g melted butter, for brushing
- SUGAR SYRUP
- 1 cup raw sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 vanilla bean, split
- 1 lemon
Method
- Peel the rind of the lemon and cut into shreds. Split the vanilla bean in two lengthwise with a sharp knife. Simmer sugar, water, vanilla bean, lemon juice and lemon shells together for 10 minutes until syrupy. Add lemon shreds and allow to cool completely. Remove the shreds and reserve for garnish. Remove the vanilla bean for use in the custard.
- Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and both seeds and pods into a saucepan. Add the milk, sugar, butter and vanillin sugar together and heat until almost boiling. Rain in semolina, whisking until thickened. Whisk yolks and egg together and whisk a few spoonfuls of hot semolina mixture, then return to pan, whisking until mixture just boils. Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool, ideally, refrigerate overnight.
- To assemble each roll, brush one sheet of filo with butter. Place 2 tablespoons cooled custard in the centre of the short end of the pastry. Brushing with butter as you go, roll over twice, fold in one end, roll again and fold in other end, enclosing completely and shaping it into a plump roll.
- Place on a baking tray, brush with butter and repeat with remaining custard and filo to make 18 rolls.
- Bake at 170°C for 20 minutes until golden brown. Pour cooled syrup over hot rolls and allow to cool uncovered. Store uncovered in the refrigerator.
Tips
- TIP Rolls can be assembled and refrigerated up to 1 hour before baking.
- STYLING Reserve a little syrup to drizzle on top just before serving and garnish with lemon rind shreds.
- DRINK Greek Coffee
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