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Ingredients
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Cake (Portokalopita)
Syrup
Lemon Curd
Kaimaki-style Ice Cream (simple no-churn)
To finish / Garnish
Method
Cake (Portokalopita)
- 1
Prepare phyllo
If not already shredded, tear or pulse day-old phyllo into 1–2-inch pieces and let sit in a large bowl.
- 2
Preheat and prepare pan
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x9-inch (or 8x8) square baking dish or similar round pan; line with parchment for easier removal if desired.
- 3
Mix wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, sugar, vegetable oil, eggs (one at a time), orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla until smooth and combined.
- 4
Combine dry
In a small bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture until just incorporated.
- 5
Assemble batter with phyllo
Pour the wet batter over the shredded phyllo. Gently fold and toss until the phyllo is evenly coated. Let sit 10 minutes to allow phyllo to absorb liquid.
- 6
Syrup
- 7
Make syrup
While the cake bakes, combine sugar, water, orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, and the cinnamon stick (if using) in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and gently simmer 6–8 minutes until syrup slightly thickens. Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick, and allow to cool slightly.
- 8
Soak cake
When the cake is hot from the oven, poke several holes across the surface with a skewer. Slowly pour warm syrup evenly over the hot cake. Start with about two-thirds of the syrup, allowing it to soak in, then add more if needed. Let the cake cool completely in the pan so it absorbs the syrup fully (at least 1 hour).
Lemon Curd
- 9
Whisk eggs and sugar
In a heatproof bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until smooth and slightly pale.
- 10
Cook curd (double boiler)
Set the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (double boiler), making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt. Whisk continuously until mixture thickens and registers about 170–175°F (80–80°C) or coats the back of a spoon, about 8–10 minutes.
- 11
Finish with butter
Remove from heat and whisk in cold butter cubes one at a time until fully incorporated and smooth. Strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean jar to remove any cooked bits. Cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin and chill until needed (at least 1 hour).
Kaimaki-style Ice Cream (no-churn)
- 12
Prepare mastic (if using)
If using mastic resin, crush a small pinch of mastic with a teaspoon of sugar in a mortar and pestle until powdery. Alternatively use vanilla.
- 13
Whip cream
In a chilled bowl, whip cold heavy cream with a pinch of salt to medium-stiff peaks.
- 14
Combine base
In another bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk with warmed milk and the ground mastic (or vanilla) until smooth. Gently fold the whipped cream into the condensed milk mixture until uniform. Taste and adjust aroma—add a few drops of orange juice or a touch more mastic if desired.
- 15
Freeze
Transfer mixture to a loaf pan or airtight container, smooth the top, cover, and freeze at least 6 hours or overnight until scoopable. For a silkier texture, stir once after 2 hours.
To finish / Serve
- 16
Plate
Cut the cooled and fully syrup-soaked Portokalopita into squares or wedges. Warm slightly (optional) before serving.
- 17
Assemble dessert
Place a slice of Portokalopita on each plate. Spoon or pipe a dollop of chilled lemon curd beside or atop the cake (about 1–2 tablespoons per serving). Add a generous scoop of kaimaki-style ice cream alongside.
- 18
Garnish
Dust lightly with powdered sugar if desired and garnish with thin orange slices or candied orange peel. Serve immediately so ice cream doesn't fully melt.