Greek Orange Phyllo Cake (Portokalopita)

Portokalopita

>>>>This recipe is part of my ebook « Vivian Is Cooking Greek – 44 Authentic Recipes to Try at Home » <<<<

[Updated 08/05/2025]

A moist, fragrant Greek dessert made with shredded phyllo, yogurt, and a rich orange syrup. Portokalopita is a beloved sweet often served in tavernas — and impossible to resist!

Click on Read me more link below for the recipe. 

Love to hear your feedback! (In comments below)

Waffles

French breakfast to it's best! Waffles are called "gaufres" in french and if you have never tried them before or were looking for a basic recipe that it's easy and works very well, then try this one :)

Greek Custard & Whipped Cream Dessert (Ekmek Kadaifi)

[Updated 30/03/2925]

A crispy, syrup-soaked kadaifi base topped with creamy custard and fluffy whipped cream. This Greek version features walnuts and warm spices for a truly indulgent treat!

Kadaifi dough is a fine, thread-like pastry, typically found in Mediterranean, Greek, or Middle Eastern grocery stores, often in the frozen section. If frozen, defrost overnight in the fridge before use.

Want more authentic Greek recipes? 📘 Discover my eBook here!

Happy Valentine's day 2020 !

Ok, I am not fan of St Valentine's day, but I have to admit that it's fun and I get inspired to make fancy cakes :) So, enjoy my first Pavlova for 2020, we ate two thirds of it in the first round !!! 

Try the recipe, it's one of my favorites...
Not to mention that you can choose any shape you like and adapt it to any theme.
Cheers!  

Haloween Fingers

Ok, Halloween has passed, but here it is a funny idea for your next year's Halloween aperitif.
I tried it for the first time a week ago at a great Halloween party of some dear friends of ours (thank you btw!!!) and everyone was excited with it!
So easy, so scary, so tasty... can you do better? ;)
With terror from me to you... BoooOOOOO

Belgian Liege waffles (Gauffres de Liège)

Autumn Sundays for me need to start with a nice homemade breakfast to gather everyone around the table and enjoy the warmth of the family. One of the recipes that we like to prepare are ... Waffles!
And if Waffles are great, the Belgian ones, I would say even more :) Thanks to Nathalie, my Belgian ex-colleague that made me discover them!
The difference lies in the pearl sugar and the dough that looks like a brioche (airy and fluffy) thanks to the fresh yeast.
You need to dispose also a waffle iron as in my photos though.
If you share my philosophy and you are ready to try, here it goes...
Note: This recipe doesn't include sugar unless at the end, so if you like, like my daughter a salty version, feel free to add some bacon, cheese or anything else that your instinct tells you :) 

Greek Phyllo Dough for Pies

Making homemade phyllo dough takes some effort, but the results are definitely worth it! 

If you’ve ever tasted traditional Greek pies like spanakopita or spanakotyropita, you know that the secret to the crispy, flaky texture is in the dough. 

To achieve the thinnest sheets, you’ll need a special wooden rolling stick (or a similar tool) and a large surface to work on. 

It’s a bit of a workout, but trust me, it’s the authentic way, and it makes your pies absolutely delicious! This recipe is dedicated to my mum, the master of phyllo, who taught me everything I know.

Want more authentic Greek recipes? 📘 Discover my eBook here!

Greek Stuffed Eggplants (Papoutsakia)

[Updated 23/03/2025 improved writing style]

[Updated 21/05/19 lighter version no frying]

 

A popular Greek summer dish, "papoutsakia" means "little shoes" due to their unique shape. Similar to Authentic, traditional recipe of Moussaka!!! but served individually, this dish combines tender eggplant, rich meat sauce, and a creamy béchamel topping—perfect for a flavorful dinner with friends.

Want more authentic Greek recipes? 📘 Discover my eBook here!

Greek Easter recipes

If you are interested in traditional recipes done during the Greek Easter period, check my

Greek Easter recipes

Happy Easter!

Want more authentic Greek recipes? 📘 Discover my eBook here!

Pavlova cake

This is a big moment for this blog...
I will include the recipe of a divine cake, the one that is needed for an Indian summer period that we are having right now in my place...

Pavlova cake!!!

Gorgeous, royal, "sexy", summer-ish, full of anti-oxidants, tastes like heaven, ... whatever I will say, it will be less for this cake. Just try it yourself and you will see and taste what I mean ;)
Origins of the cake looks like to be New Zealand or Australia and the name comes from a known Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova (weird combination, I know). For the fans, check to verify all that by yourselves. Let's concentrate here with the essentials: how to make it!
I would like to thank Joachim, who likes to cook and inspired me with a similar recipe ;)

French brioche bread

Brioche is a french fluffy dough bread that includes eggs, milk, sugar and butter, it's something between a bread and a cake and it tastes like heaven!!!

You can find various versions in several other countries like in my home country, Greece, that we call them "tsourekia".

It's a recipe that I just loooooove and was missing from my blog despite the fact that I am baking them often, so let's start 2019 with this recipe ....

Season greetings!

Season greetings 

to all of you and your families! 

Prepare :

• "Kourambiedes", the xmas almond cookies, 
• "Melomakarona", honey cookies
• and cook "Stuffed turkey"  

[Originally published on Dec 6, 2015]

White Cream Mascarpone Christmas Swiss Roll – Homemade Holiday Dessert

Merry Xmas with a swiss roll!

 

[Originally published on Dec 24, 2016]
Not a classic one, with mascarpone cheese that is my favorite.
Actually, tiramisu is the most popular recipe in this blog thanks to this cheese, so why not to try one?
I would like to thank Raphael who inspired me with his traditional swiss roll that was a smash!
Thanks also to my daughter that made the final touch with her decoration *kiss*

Time is not money but rest in this festive period, so I will cut short and give you the details :)
 

All the best to you and your dear ones! May this period is restful and calm...