Pavlos Kyriakis makes Vasilopita with Mataroa Gin

One of the best Greek chefs, twice awarded with a Michelin star, Pavlos Kyriakis, created a unique Vasilopita, the traditional Greek sweet which the Greeks bake for the first day of the year, but also throughout January.

Cutting the Vasilopita is an ancient Greek custom, one of the few that has been preserved to this day. It is a form of the custom of “the festive bread”, offered by the ancient Greeks and Romans to the gods during the great rural festivals, while it is also connected to the Christian tradition. Today, the Vasilopita, handmade or ready-made, is a tradition that everyone respects and keeps.

For the first time, the top chef adds gin to the ingredients, giving, with the help of Mataroa Gin, the best-selling Greek premium gin, a modern touch to this traditional delicacy.

Mataroa Gin Vasilopita from Pavlos Kyriakis

• 1150 gr. Common Wheat Flour
• 350 gr. Yogurt
• 550 gr. Butter from Cow’s Milk
• 100 gr. Mataroa Mediterranean Dry Gin
• 450 gr. Sugar
• 10 Eggs
• 2 Oranges (the zest)
• 2 Lemons (the zest)
• 150 gr. Orange Juice
• 5 gr. Salt
• 4 Vanilla Sticks
• 100 gr. Raisins
• 100 gr. Almond (sliced)
• 100 gr. Icing Sugar

Recipe

• In a bowl, put the raisins in the Gin to soak.
• Separate the egg whites from the yolks and beat the egg whites with the salt until they become a meringue.
• Put the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl and whisk for about 15 minutes.
• Add the egg yolks one at a time and continue whisking until the mixture is uniform.
• Add the orange juice, the zest from the orange and lemon, the pulp from the vanilla and the raisins that have been soaked in the Gin, together with the Gin.
• Add 1/4 of the meringue and 1/4 of the sifted flour and mix with a spatula. Once integrated, continue in the same way until all the flour and meringue is incorporated.
• Preheat the oven to 200°C. Put the mixture in a buttered pan and put it in the oven. Immediately lower the temperature to 170°C and bake for 1 hour.
• Remove from the oven, garnish with the sliced almonds, which you have previously roasted slightly, and sprinkle with icing sugar.

About Chef Pavlos Kyriakis

Chef Pavlos Kyriakis studied cooking in Athens and worked at the Spondi restaurant (2* Michelin) for 6 years. His mentors are great chefs, acclaimed worldwide, such as Arnaud Bignon, Eric Frechon, William Mahi, Michel Del Burgo, all * Michelin awarded. Pavlos Kyriakis has worked in world class restaurants in Europe and America, and obtained his first Michelin star as Executive Chef at The Zillers in Athens. At The Zillers, where he has been the executive chef since 2019, he has created excellent menus, placing it in one of the top spots of Athenian Gastronomy. The consistency and talent of Pavlos Kyriakis earned The Zillers its first Michelin star in 2022, which it retained in 2023.

About Mataroa Mediterranean Dry Gin

A gin-savoring journey to the coasts of the Mediterranean. Distilled and bottled entirely in Greece, Mataroa Mediterranean Dry Gin takes precious ingredients from Mediterranean countries and makes a unique blend, consistent with the centennial experience of the Melissanidis distillery which produces it. Its secret recipe, the tests of which lasted over 4 years, promises to excite even the most demanding gin lovers. Find out more at www.mataroagin.com