Basboosa / Basbousa / Semolina Cake
Ingredients
Plain Semolina / sooji / rava – 1.5 cup
Butter – 1 stick or 1/2 cup, softened (If you do not want it to be very rich, you can try adding only 1/2 stick or 1/4 cup. I have tried this recipe twice and the second time I used only 1/4 cup butter but adding 1/2 cup makes it more rich and tasty.)
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Plain yoghurt – 1 cup
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
For the honey syrup
Honey – 1/2 cup
Sugar – 3/4 cup
Rose water – 3 tbsp or 1 tsp rose essence
Lemon juice – 2 tsp
Method
1. Cream the butter and 1/2 cup sugar using an electric mixer. Add yoghurt and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. Now add the semolina flour and baking powder. Mix well with a spatula until you have a sticky dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat an oven to 375 F. Transfer the dough into a well-greased 7 x 11 inch baking dish or a 10 inch round cake pan and level the dough using your fingers/spatula.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. Take out the baking dish using your oven mitts. Now cut the partially baked dough to squares or diamonds. Press an almond or any nut you prefer onto each diamond. Now return the baking dish back into the oven and bake for another 13 – 15 minutes till the edges are brown. Now put it on broil mode for 2 – 3 minutes so that surface will turn golden brown. Take it out of the oven.
3. Meanwhile combine the honey, sugar and 2 tbsp rose water in a saucepan. Stir at medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture has a syrupy consistency ( would not take more than 7 – 10 minutes). Add the lemon juice and 1 tbsp rose water. Turn off the stove. When the basboosa is done in the oven, take it out using your oven mitts. Pour the honey syrup all over the hot basboosa. Cool and take out the cakes from the baking dish using a metal spatula. It tastes best after 1 – 2 days. Enjoy!!
Plain Semolina / sooji / rava – 1.5 cup
Butter – 1 stick or 1/2 cup, softened (If you do not want it to be very rich, you can try adding only 1/2 stick or 1/4 cup. I have tried this recipe twice and the second time I used only 1/4 cup butter but adding 1/2 cup makes it more rich and tasty.)
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Plain yoghurt – 1 cup
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
For the honey syrup
Honey – 1/2 cup
Sugar – 3/4 cup
Rose water – 3 tbsp or 1 tsp rose essence
Lemon juice – 2 tsp
Method
1. Cream the butter and 1/2 cup sugar using an electric mixer. Add yoghurt and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. Now add the semolina flour and baking powder. Mix well with a spatula until you have a sticky dough. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat an oven to 375 F. Transfer the dough into a well-greased 7 x 11 inch baking dish or a 10 inch round cake pan and level the dough using your fingers/spatula.
3. Bake for 20 minutes. Take out the baking dish using your oven mitts. Now cut the partially baked dough to squares or diamonds. Press an almond or any nut you prefer onto each diamond. Now return the baking dish back into the oven and bake for another 13 – 15 minutes till the edges are brown. Now put it on broil mode for 2 – 3 minutes so that surface will turn golden brown. Take it out of the oven.
3. Meanwhile combine the honey, sugar and 2 tbsp rose water in a saucepan. Stir at medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture has a syrupy consistency ( would not take more than 7 – 10 minutes). Add the lemon juice and 1 tbsp rose water. Turn off the stove. When the basboosa is done in the oven, take it out using your oven mitts. Pour the honey syrup all over the hot basboosa. Cool and take out the cakes from the baking dish using a metal spatula. It tastes best after 1 – 2 days. Enjoy!!
-Yummyoyummy.com
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