Portokalopita (Greek Orange Cake)
This is my take on a traditional Greek recipe which uses oranges, filo pastry and yoghurt to produce the most deliciously moist cake you will ever eat!
I actually came across this when I was looking for ways of using up offcuts of pastry that I couldn't bear to throw away. As I say, filo is the usual ingredient but you can use ordinary cooked shortcrust or even ground almonds if you like. The cake itself is incredibly easy to make and it will last in the fridge for up to a week (though not in our house!). It is best served cold with a dollop of yoghurt on the side.
Portokalopita (Greek Orange Cake)
200g yoghurt
300ml vegetable oil or melted butter, plus a little extra
300g sugar
300ml orange juice (freshly squeezed)
20g baking powder
zest of 2 oranges (use the juice above)
1 tsp vanilla extract
450g cooked shortcrust or filo pastry or ground almonds
For the syrup:
400ml water
400g sugar
zest of 1 orange (use juice above)
If you are using cooked pastry, break into pieces and blitz in a food processor until you have a fine crumb.
If you are using filo pastry, unwrap it from the plastic sleeve; place the sheets on a large surface and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes, in order to dry well. Alternatively, spread a few on a large baking tray and bake at 100C, until dry; repeat with the rest. Tear into small pieces using your hands.
Preheat the oven to 170C then start by preparing the syrup. Pour into a saucepan the water, the sugar and the orange zest and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup has thickened. Leave aside to cool.
In the meantime prepare the mixture for the orange cake. Pour the oil/butter into a large bowl, add the sugar and whisk. Add the yogurt, the orange juice, the orange zest and the vanilla extract and whisk well, until the ingredients combine and the mixture is smooth. Add the baking powder, and blend lightly. Add the pastry/filo/ground almonds to the mix and stir to combine.
Using a cooking brush or your clean fingers, lightly oil the bottom and the sides of a baking tray (approx. 20x30cm / 8×12inch) then pour in the cake mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes until, nicely coloured and cooked through. Check if it is ready, by making a hole with a knife. If the knife comes out clean, then the cake is ready.
To finish the orange cake, ladle slowly the cold syrup over the hot cake. Allow each ladle of syrup to be absorbed, before ladling again. Allow time for the syrup to be absorbed and put in the refrigerator. Greek orange cake is ideally served cold, not hot, so that it does not crumble.
I actually came across this when I was looking for ways of using up offcuts of pastry that I couldn't bear to throw away. As I say, filo is the usual ingredient but you can use ordinary cooked shortcrust or even ground almonds if you like. The cake itself is incredibly easy to make and it will last in the fridge for up to a week (though not in our house!). It is best served cold with a dollop of yoghurt on the side.
Portokalopita (Greek Orange Cake)
200g yoghurt
300ml vegetable oil or melted butter, plus a little extra
300g sugar
300ml orange juice (freshly squeezed)
20g baking powder
zest of 2 oranges (use the juice above)
1 tsp vanilla extract
450g cooked shortcrust or filo pastry or ground almonds
For the syrup:
400ml water
400g sugar
zest of 1 orange (use juice above)
If you are using cooked pastry, break into pieces and blitz in a food processor until you have a fine crumb.
If you are using filo pastry, unwrap it from the plastic sleeve; place the sheets on a large surface and leave at room temperature for 20 minutes, in order to dry well. Alternatively, spread a few on a large baking tray and bake at 100C, until dry; repeat with the rest. Tear into small pieces using your hands.
Preheat the oven to 170C then start by preparing the syrup. Pour into a saucepan the water, the sugar and the orange zest and bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup has thickened. Leave aside to cool.
In the meantime prepare the mixture for the orange cake. Pour the oil/butter into a large bowl, add the sugar and whisk. Add the yogurt, the orange juice, the orange zest and the vanilla extract and whisk well, until the ingredients combine and the mixture is smooth. Add the baking powder, and blend lightly. Add the pastry/filo/ground almonds to the mix and stir to combine.
Using a cooking brush or your clean fingers, lightly oil the bottom and the sides of a baking tray (approx. 20x30cm / 8×12inch) then pour in the cake mixture. Bake in the preheated oven for 40-50 minutes until, nicely coloured and cooked through. Check if it is ready, by making a hole with a knife. If the knife comes out clean, then the cake is ready.
To finish the orange cake, ladle slowly the cold syrup over the hot cake. Allow each ladle of syrup to be absorbed, before ladling again. Allow time for the syrup to be absorbed and put in the refrigerator. Greek orange cake is ideally served cold, not hot, so that it does not crumble.
the amount of oil seems daunting but I like the idea... seems a bit like a baklava in terms of being soaked in syrup. i bet it will suit a number of flavour combos such as pistachio, almond, honey, orange flower, cardamom and maybe even a whisper of mint? I'd also be tempted to get some booze into it somehow!!
ReplyDeleteIt makes a massive traybake... and you'd expect a similar amount of butter... but yes it won't win any low fat awards (just delicious ones!) Like your flavour combo suggestions - I absolutely LOVE cardamom.
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