Greek desserts and sweets

12 recipes from across Heart Athens. Each one opens where it sits, next to the place, dish or dictionary entry it belongs to.

DessertBougatsa (custard filled filo pastry)A breakfast pastry of crisp filo filled with semolina custard (sweet) or cheese, dusted with sugar and cinnamon.Serves: 6 · Time: 20 min prep, 35 min bake · on Taste of AthensDessertDiples (fried dough ribbons in honey)Thin ribbons of fried dough soaked in honey and scattered with walnuts, made for weddings and Christmas.Serves: about 30 · Time: 45 min prep, 30 min resting, 30 min frying · on A to Z GuideDessertEkmek kataifi (syrup soaked kataifi with custard and cream)A layered dessert of syrup soaked shredded pastry topped with thick custard and whipped cream, usually finished with cinnamon or crushed pistachio.Serves: 12 · Time: 45 min prep, 40 min baking, 3 hr chilling · on A to Z GuideDessertGalaktoboureko (custard and filo syrup pie)A custard pie of semolina baked in filo and soaked in syrup, a beloved Greek dessert.Serves: 8 · Time: 25 min prep, 40 min bake, 2 hr soaking · on Taste of AthensDessertHalva (semolina halva, the 1 2 3 4 method)Two different sweets share the name: a dense sesame block sold by the slab, and a soft semolina pudding made at home.Serves: 10 · Time: 10 min prep, 20 min cooking, 30 min setting · on A to Z GuideDessertKarydopita (walnut and syrup cake)A dense walnut cake soaked in syrup, usually served in small squares.Serves: 16 pieces · Time: 30 min prep, 45 min baking, 3 hr soaking · on A to Z GuideDessertKourabiedes (almond shortbread in icing sugar)Buttery almond shortbread buried under icing sugar, made at Christmas.Serves: about 40 · Time: 30 min prep, 25 min baking · on A to Z GuideDessertLoukoumades (honey doughnuts)Little fried dough puffs drenched in honey syrup and cinnamon, sometimes with walnuts, a traditional sweet.Serves: 4 · Time: 10 min prep, 1 hr proving, 15 min cook · on Taste of AthensDessertMelomakarona (honey soaked Christmas biscuits)Christmas biscuits soaked in honey syrup and topped with crushed walnut.Serves: about 40 · Time: 30 min prep, 25 min baking, 30 min soaking · on A to Z GuideDessertPortokalopita (orange and filo cake)A moist orange cake made with torn filo pastry and yoghurt, soaked in citrus syrup and served in squares.Serves: 12 · Time: 30 min prep plus filo drying, 50 min baking, 2 hr soaking · on A to Z GuideDessertRavani (semolina syrup cake)A semolina sponge drenched in sugar syrup, sold by the square in bakeries.Serves: 16 pieces · Time: 20 min prep, 40 min baking, 2 hr soaking · on A to Z GuideDessertRizogalo (rice pudding with cinnamon)Cold rice pudding dusted with cinnamon, eaten as a dessert or a breakfast.Serves: 6 · Time: 10 min prep, 45 min cooking, 2 hr chilling · on A to Z Guide

All 71 recipes A to Z