Jul 14 2026
Restaurants›Cafe Athens›Galo Pie Swirl (bougatsa) Recipe

Galo Pie Swirl (bougatsa) Recipe

Inspired by Cafe Athens
Time1h
Serves2

Layers of filo dough with a rich creamy Greek custard filling, topped with cinnamon, sugar and whipped cream. (Feeds 2).

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Ingredients

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Filo Dough Layer

Custard Filling

Topping

Method

Filo Dough Preparation

  1. 1

    Preheat Oven

    Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F).

  2. 2

    Prepare Filo Dough

    Melt the unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Take one sheet of filo dough, brush it lightly with melted butter, and layer another sheet on top. Repeat this process for a total of 5 sheets, ensuring each layer is brushed with melted butter.

Custard Filling Preparation

  1. 3

    Cook the Custard

    In a saucepan, heat the milk over medium heat until it is just about to boil. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and cornstarch until smooth. Slowly add the hot milk to the egg mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs.

  2. 4

    Thicken the Custard

    Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter until melted and well combined.

Assembling the Galo Pie Swirl

  1. 5

    Layer the Custard

    Pour the custard filling evenly over the prepared filo dough, spreading it out gently with a spatula.

  2. 6

    Roll and Swirl

    Starting from one end, carefully roll the filo dough and custard into a tight log. Once rolled, twist the log into a spiral shape and place it in a greased baking dish.

  3. 7

    Bake

    Bake the Galo Pie Swirl in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Finishing Touches

  1. 8

    Prepare the Topping

    While the pie is baking, mix together the ground cinnamon and granulated sugar in a small bowl.

  2. 9

    Add Toppings

    Once baked, remove the pie from the oven and immediately sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the top. Allow it to cool slightly before serving.

  3. 10

    Serve with Whipped Cream

    Slice the Galo Pie Swirl and serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top.

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