Basbousa
Egypt's semolina cake: soaked in hot orange-blossom or rose syrup, golden on top, almost custardy beneath. The coconut-rich version of a Levantine staple.
Overview
A simple batter of semolina, yogurt, sugar, butter and coconut is baked in a shallow tray. The classic move: the cake is cut into diamonds before baking so the syrup soaks through the cuts later. Hot syrup is poured over the warm cake and disappears in seconds, leaving the surface tacky-glossy. Topped with a single almond on each diamond.
Ingredients
Cake
- 400 g fine semolina
- 200 g desiccated coconut
- 300 g caster sugar
- 200 g plain yogurt
- 200 g unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons milk (if needed)
- 24 blanched almonds
Syrup
- 400 g caster sugar
- 250 ml water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water (or rosewater)
Method
Stage 1 - Syrup
- Combine the sugar, water and lemon juice in a small pan.
- Bring to the boil; simmer 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Off the heat, stir in the orange blossom water.
- Keep hot.
Stage 2 - Batter
- Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
- Whisk the semolina, coconut, sugar and baking powder.
- Stir in the yogurt, melted butter and vanilla.
- The mixture should be thick but spreadable; add a splash of milk if it's too dry.
Stage 3 - Shape and score
- Butter a 23 x 33 cm baking tin.
- Spread the batter evenly; smooth the top with a wet spatula.
- With a sharp knife, score the batter into diamonds (about 6 cm across) - cut all the way through to the bottom.
- Press a blanched almond into the centre of each diamond.
Stage 4 - Bake
- Bake 30-35 minutes until deep golden on top and pulling slightly from the edges.
Stage 5 - Drown in syrup
- As soon as it comes out of the oven, slowly pour the hot syrup all over - let it run into every cut.
- The cake will absorb most of it within minutes.
Stage 6 - Cool and serve
- Cool 30 minutes in the tin (the syrup distributes; the texture sets).
- Lift the diamonds out; serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Hot cake, hot syrup, but not boiling: Both should be hot for max absorption. Boiling syrup poured on can crack the surface; very hot is right.
- Score before baking: Trying to cut after pouring syrup gives ragged edges and uneven slices. Pre-cut diamonds slice clean.
- Don't overbake: A drying basbousa absorbs less syrup, ends up dry. Pull when the centre still feels just-set, not firm.
Storage
- Keeps 5 days in an airtight tin; eats well at room temperature. Texture improves by day 2.
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