Greek Orange Phyllo Cake (Printable Version)

Crispy phyllo meets creamy yogurt and fresh orange in this beloved Greek dessert, soaked in sweet citrus syrup.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Pie

01 - 1 lb phyllo sheets, thawed
02 - 4 large eggs
03 - 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
04 - 1 cup granulated sugar
05 - ½ cup light olive oil or sunflower oil
06 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
07 - Zest of 2 large oranges
08 - 2 tsp baking powder

→ For the Syrup

09 - 1 cup water
10 - 1 cup granulated sugar
11 - ¾ cup plus 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
12 - 1 cinnamon stick
13 - Zest of 1 orange

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
02 - Remove phyllo sheets from packaging and let them air-dry for 1 hour until slightly brittle. Crumple sheets into rough, loose pieces by hand.
03 - Whisk eggs and sugar in a large bowl until pale and thickened, about 3 minutes. Add yogurt, oil, vanilla, orange zest, and baking powder. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Gradually fold crumpled phyllo pieces into the batter, tossing gently to ensure every piece is evenly coated.
05 - Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Spread evenly and smooth the top. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - While pie bakes, combine water, sugar, orange juice, cinnamon stick, and orange zest in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove cinnamon stick and zest; allow syrup to cool completely.
07 - Remove pie from oven. While still hot, slowly pour cooled syrup evenly over the entire surface. Let cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow syrup to fully absorb before serving.

# Tips from hearthlykitchen:

01 -
  • The combination of crispy phyllo and custard-soft centers creates incredible texture contrast in every bite
  • Fresh orange syrup makes this dessert feel bright rather than heavy, unlike traditional syrup-soaked sweets
02 -
  • The syrup must be completely cool before pouring over hot pie—hot syrup on hot pastry creates sogginess instead of absorption
  • Never cover the pie while syrup soaks in, or trapped steam will make the top layer soft instead of crisp
03 -
  • Use a microplane or fine grater for zest—larger pieces can taste bitter in the finished pie
  • If your phyllo tears while crumpling, do not worry—the irregular pieces actually absorb syrup more evenly

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