Greece - Portokalopita

A delicious alternative to your average cake, packed full of orange flavour and really easy to make. You start out by tearing the Filo Pastry and leaving it to dry for a few hours before soaking it in custard. Once its baked, drench the entire cake in cinnamon infused orange syrup. Heaven!

Ingredients 

250g Filo Pastry

3 eggs

60g sugar

165g Greek yoghurt

140g sunflower oil

Zest of 1 orange

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Butter/semolina for baking tray

1 x Blood orange, for decoration (optional) 

Syrup:

250g sugar

1 1/2 tbsp honey

1 cinnamon stick

120ml fresh orange juice (approx. 3 oranges)

180ml water 

Method

Tear the Filo Pastry into small pieces & spread over a few baking trays or chopping boards. Leave to dry at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

Meanwhile, make the syrup. Place all the syrup ingredients together into a saucepan over medium heat. Boil for 10-15 minutes until you have a syrupy consistancy. Set aside until needed.

Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease a 12 x 7inch baking tray (or similar) with butter & semolina.

For the custard, whisk the eggs and sugar together until frothy. Whisk in the Greek yoghurt followed by the oil. Finally, add in the orange zest, vanilla and bicarbonate of soda. Add in the dried torn Filo Pastry in 3 additions until it is all evenly combined into the custard. Pour into the prepared baking tray in one even layer. Thinly slice a blood orange and arrange on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until set & golden. Pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake & leave to cool completely before slicing and serving.