Portokalopita – Greek Orange Filo Cake

DessertServes 8

Celebrate the official start of British summer time this weekend with a deliciously sunny recipe from East Yorkshire based business Ali Bilton Cooks. Hailing from Makrigialos in Crete, this zesty, syrupy cake, is simple to make and delicious served alongside its Greek yoghurt based sauce. For more recipe inspiration visit www.alibiltoncooks.co.uk

Ingredients

For the cake:

Zest of half an orange
2 eggs
100ml olive oil
100g caster sugar
125ml total Greek yoghurt
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp baking powder
1 x 250g packet filo pastry

 

For the syrup:

300ml water
200g caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
Zest of half an orange

 

For the yoghurt sauce:

125ml Total Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp runny honey
Large pinch of ground cinnamon

 

 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas4
  2. Place all the cake ingredients, except for the filo, in a bowl and beat together until well combined
  3. Take each sheet of filo and one at a time rip them to shreds, add to the cake mixture mixing in as you tear up each sheet of filo.
  4. Grease and line a 20cm deep cake tin and pour in the cake mixture.
  5. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes until risen, golden and firm
  6. Whilst the cake is cooking, put all the syrup ingredients into a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
  7. When the cake comes out of the oven, pour the hot syrup slowly over the cake and allow the liquid to sink in.
  8. Set aside to cool. Whilst the cake is cooling mix together all the ingredients for the yoghurt sauce.
  9. Serve cold or warm with the yoghurt sauce.