Politiko Cake – Greek Indulgence with Semolina and Vanilla Cream
Inspired by the refinement of Greek cuisine, Politiko cake is a delightful dessert that combines a syrup-soaked semolina base with silky vanilla cream and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon. A true explosion of Mediterranean flavors!
Ingredients
For the syrup:
350 g sugar
400 ml water
1 cinnamon stick
Zest of 1 lemon
For the cream:
1 liter milk
150 g sugar
3 egg yolks
120 g cornstarch
300 g heavy cream (35% fat)
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 packet vanilla sugar
For the semolina base:
1 teaspoon butter (for greasing the pan)
100 g strained Greek yogurt
240 g milk
180 g sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla powder or 1 packet vanilla sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
Zest of ½ lemon
⅔ teaspoon mastic powder (or ½ teaspoon crushed mastic tears)
240 g coarse semolina
130 g fine semolina
½ teaspoon baking powder
1¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
Prepare the syrup:
Combine all syrup ingredients in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer for 5 minutes without stirring.
Set aside and let cool completely to room temperature.
Prepare the cream:
Set aside 120 ml of milk and whisk it with the egg yolks and cornstarch in a bowl.
Heat the remaining milk in a saucepan with the sugar and vanilla.
When hot (but not boiling), slowly pour it over the egg mixture, whisking constantly.
Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring vigorously until thickened.
Transfer to a bowl, cover directly with plastic wrap, and let it cool to around 20°C (room temp).
Prepare the semolina base:
Grease a 33×23 cm (13×9 inch) pan with butter.
In a bowl, mix both types of semolina with the baking powder.
In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, milk, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, baking soda, and mastic.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and let it rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
Bake the base for 20–25 minutes until deep golden brown.
Remove from oven and immediately pour the cold syrup over the hot cake.
Let the cake cool completely.
Assemble:
Whip the heavy cream with the 3 tablespoons of sugar until firm peaks form.
In a separate bowl, whisk the cooled custard until smooth.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the custard in two batches using a whisk.
Spread the cream evenly over the soaked cake and smooth the top.
Sprinkle ground cinnamon generously over the surface.
Refrigerate for at least 6–8 hours before serving.
Cut into 12 equal squares (or smaller portions if desired) and serve chilled.
Enjoy a dessert with an oriental soul and Greek elegance!
