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Middle Eastern Semolina Coconut Cake - Basbousa

Falak
Print Recipe
Course Dessert
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Servings 24 slices

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups semolina (fine)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup coconut shredded (unsweetened)
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 cup Slivered almonds

Ingredients for Sugar syrup

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 tablespoon orange blossom water/ Rose water (optional)

Instructions
 

Sugar Syrup Preparation:

  • Start with the sugar syrup preparation first.
  • In a saucepan, add sugar and water on medium-high heat and stir till the sugar dissolves.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, COVER and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes.
  • Then add the lemon juice and orange blossom water/ rose water (if using), give it one final stir and remove from the heat. Allow it to cool completely

Basbousa Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Next prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish by brushing it very well with oil.
  • Measure out yogurt in a wide container and add baking powder, baking soda, milk, honey and oil. Leave it for 5 minutes. The mixture will start to bubble and rise.
  • In another wide container mix, semolina, sugar and coconut. Add the yogurt-milk mixture to it and stir to completely combine. The mixture will be thick but should not be dry (if you feel it is too dry add a few tablespoons of milk).
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish, spread and pat it to level it.
  • Using a knife, make square or diamond cuts of your desired size. Add almond slices to each cut piece.
  • Bake in the middle rack for 25-30 minutes.
  • If the top still appears white in color after 25-30 minutes then turn the broiler on. Broil for 3-5 minutes (keep the dish in the middle rack). Keep a close eye and as soon as you see the top turning golden brown remove it.
  • Once removed from the oven, immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot basbousa. Make sure to pour around the edges, in the cuts and over the basbousa too.
  • Leave it for at least 1 hour. During this time, it will cool down and slowly the sugar syrup will be absorbed.
  • Then enjoy!

Notes

  1. Prepare the sugar syrup first since it has to be completely cool before pouring over the piping hot basbousa.
  2. Lemon juice is added to the sugar syrup to prevent sugar from crystallizing once it cools.
  3. Instead of using a 9x13 inch dish, you can also divide the mixture between two 9x9 inch baking pans. The baking time will slightly reduce about 20-25minutes.
  4. Adding baking soda to the yogurt-milk is important (although many recipes do not call for it), This gives the basbousa a slightly fluffy texture and prevents it from becoming dense.
  5. Make cuts before baking. After baking, the cake falls apart if you try to cut it as it is very hot. Also the cuts are important to allow the sugar syrup to get absorbed into the basbousa.
  6. Do not delay pouring the sugar syrup. If the basbousa cools down it will not absorb the sugar syrup. The cake will turn out dry with the syrup floating on it.
  7. I like to use oil to make basbousa (instead of ghee/butter). This keeps the basbousa soft even if it is refrigerated.
  8. If you do not have orange blossom water or rose water, you can leave it. But do not replace it with vanilla essence.
  9. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container and can last for 1 week. You can either warm the slices in the microwave or let it come to room temperature or even enjoy it cold!