Portokalopita (Greek Orange Phyllo Cake)

Instructions

All ingredients should be at room temperature.
In a saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and cinnamon stick.
Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 minutes. Do not stir once it starts boiling.
When it comes to a boil, remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice, zest, and marmalade.
Set aside to cool completely. This is key, as the syrup must be cold when poured over the hot cake.

In a large bowl, add the oil, sugar, vanilla, orange zest, marmalade, eggs, cream, and the yogurt and whisk until fully incorporated and smooth.
Finally, add the baking powder and mix again.

If using frozen phyllo, make sure it’s fully thawed.
Roll the phyllo sheets into a log and slice into thin strips with a knife.
Unravel the strips, separate them, and spread them out on a clean surface or tray to dry slightly. (They should resemble ribbons. The drier they are, the better they’ll absorb the cream mixture.)
Gradually add the dry phyllo strips to the batter a handful at a time, folding and pressing them in to ensure each piece is well coated.
Continue until all the phyllo is used and the mixture is uniform. Avoid clumps, if they form, separate them gently using two forks.
Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes to allow the phyllo to fully absorb the liquid.

Butter a shallow 32×22 cm (13×9 inch) baking pan.
Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the surface with a spoon or spatula.
Bake in a preheated fan oven at 160°C (320°F) or 180°C (360°F) in a conventional oven for about 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and set with a delicate crust.
As soon as the portokalopita comes out of the oven, pour the cooled syrup over it slowly and evenly.
Let the dessert cool completely, for at least 2-3 hours, so it can fully absorb the syrup and become moist throughout.
Cut it only after it has cooled and soaked up all the syrup.

If you have time, let the sugar sit in the wet ingredients before mixing. This helps it dissolve better and improves caramelization.
Adding the phyllo a little at a time is crucial. Dumping it all in at once causes it to clump and bake and absorb the syrup unevenly.
The syrup must be cold, and the cake must be hot when combining, that’s the secret to proper absorption.