These Greek delicacies will surely please every dessert lover out there.
Desserts are absolute life saviors. They bring happiness and pleasure and help you get through a tough day. For some, they can be a form of self-love and indulgence. A good dessert just makes everything better. Traditional desserts say a lot about a culture or continent and can feel like a little tour of a country without you having to go anywhere. In this current situation where traveling is not an option, let’s explore Greece through their traditional desserts.
Greek meals are incomplete without a delicious dessert. The richness of their culture is quite evident when you look at some of their traditional delicacies. They are packed with very rich and wholesome flavors.
The main ingredients in most of their desserts are various nuts and dates, citrus fruit, a lot of dairies, and honey, which are all plentiful in the area. These ingredients give Greek desserts their signature fruity notes. You can achieve similar flavors at home using these ingredients. Because the ingredients are quite healthy as well, you don’t need to feel guilty about indulging in them. You can even use honey alternatives if you like.
Now, let’s look at some of the most popular traditional Greek desserts that you need to try.
Baklava
Baklava is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of traditional Greek desserts. It is so popular that it is not just a local dish anymore. Baklava is enjoyed across the world. It’s a very unique pastry dish that is soaked in syrup but still very crunchy. It is made with phyllo or filo, a tissue-thin dough that is a staple in Greek desserts. Baklava generally has about 33 layers of filo dough rolled very thin and brushed with butter, then filled with chopped and seasoned nuts and honey and baked. Because the filo sheets are brushed with butter, it becomes very crispy and flaky.
After the pastry is baked, it is finished off with a surgery syrup made from sugar, water, cardamom, lemon, and saffron. Some even like to add honey to it. The lemon gives it a slight citrusy note and really brings out the flavors.
The nutty flavor, slight citrus notes, and surgery syrup along with the flaky pastry create a marvelous combination. These are best served alongside a cup of strong Greek coffee.
Galaktoboureko
Galaktoboureko is a traditional Greek delicacy. The name can be a mouthful if you are not a native; however, the dish will melt in your mouth no matter what language you speak. Galaktoboureko means milk burek in English. The dish has two main parts: filo pastry and a rich and decadent custard made from semolina.
Like baklava, galaktoboureko uses filo pastry filled with a very rich and decadent layer of semolina custard. Of course, each layer is brushed with butter, and the top is drizzled with syrup. Nowadays, people like to add a hint of orange to make it refreshing.
You can skip the orange if you want to experience the classic galaktoboureko. If you are interested in trying it out yourself, you can look for recipes online.
Revani(ravani) cake
If you are a picky eater and don’t want to experiment a lot, you can give revani cake a try. It’s very hard to go wrong with, but don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s simple or boring. It might look simple, but it is packed with bold flavors.
It is one of the oldest Greek desserts that are still widely available. It was invented back in the 16th century and named after Revani, a famous Turkish poet. He is famous for his poems about gastronomy.
Revani cake looks like a regular sponge cake, but it’s a lot more than that. To start off, the cake is made with semolina, which makes it a lot richer and moister than regular sponge cakes. After the cake is done baking, it is infused with a hot syrup made of sugar, water, saffron, orange, rose water, and spices.
The syrup gives the cake its distinct velvety texture and makes it refreshing, rich, and moist. The rose water and saffron give it a special and distinctive flavor. Some like to top it with whipped cream and dried fruits.
Kourabiethes
Kourabiethes are a classic in Greece. You will see them on almost every special occasion. Christmas in Greece is incomplete without them. In ancient times, they were made only at Christmas, but as time went by, they became more popular and made their way to the table on almost every special occasion.
It is basically a very light and fragrant shortbread cookie. Just like any other shortbread cookie, the main ingredients are flour, sugar, and butter. Ground almonds, floral water (such as rose), and honey are also used in the cookie dough.
The ground almonds are what give them their rich taste. Some recipes call for walnuts, but originally almonds were used. Using floral water instead of regular water really elevates the dish, and the subtle floral flavor makes it different from any other shortbread cookie.
The dough is prepared just like any other cookie. The butter, flour, and ground almonds are kneaded together, then the rest of the ingredients are added gradually until it forms a thick dough, which is shaped by hand. These cookies are generally round and crescent-shaped.
After the kourabiethes are done baking, they are coated in powdered sugar while still hot. The powdered sugar coating gives them their signature snowy look. After they cool, you are left with a sweet, fragrant, and crispy shortbread cookie that melts in your mouth.
Kataifi
If you don’t have a sweet tooth and don’t want something overly sweet or overpowering, this next dessert is just perfect for you. Kataifi is a traditional Greek dish that is generally made for special occasions. It is delicious and eye-pleasing at the same time.
This again uses filo dough, cut into long strips. These strips create the exterior and hold the rich filling inside. The filling can be simply chopped almonds, pistachios, raisins, and cinnamon. However, in recent times, many people like to experiment, using creamy custards, whipped cream, semolina custard, pistachios, and honey. The baked filo is soaked in a lemony syrup that gives a slight tanginess and balances the sweetness and the richness of the filling.
Halva
No discussion of traditional Greek desserts is complete without the mention of halva. You can find different types of halvas in many parts of the world. In South Asia, they serve a wide range of halvas. However, Greek halva has a distinct flavor.
Greeks love halva and consume it in large quantities. They consider it to be an excellent source of energy. It is quite heavy, and one bite is enough to keep you fueled for a long time. It doesn’t just fill your tummy; its heartwarming taste will cheer you up instantly.
Halva is basically a pudding dish. But of course, because it is a Greek dish, it has to be rich and scrumptious. The pudding is loaded with butter, dried fruit, and nuts. Generally, the main ingredient is semolina, which is fried in butter until it is golden brown. Then it is cooked with milk nuts and other spices.
Floral water like rose water is added to make it fragrant. Some even like to add oranges for a signature Greek flavor. The three most popular halvas are semolina halva, tahini halva, and halvas farsalon. Semolina halva is the most common version.
Tahini means sesame. So the tahini halwa is made of sesame paste. The rest of the ingredients are the same nuts, butter, and honey that are used in almost every halva. Tahini halva is a more healthy and vegan option.
To Conclude
These great traditional Greek desserts show how much the Greeks love their nuts and honey. You can’t blame them, though. Great ingredients make great desserts.
