Basbousa is a dessert made from coarse sweet semolina, and translates as small kiss in Arabic.
Also known as Hareeseh, as well as Nammoura, it is a very easy dish to make.
WHAT IS BASBOUSA?
This cake is one of the most popular in the Middle East and North Africa, in some Balkan countries such as Greece, Bulgaria, Albania and Turkey or in Armenia, located in Western Asia. It can be found everywhere, in restaurants, in bakeries, and there will always be someone to offer a piece.
Semolina is the key ingredient of the basbousa recipe and, depending on the country, it can also contain almond or pistachio powder, as well as grated coconut.
In Egypt, for example, it can be found prepared with almond powder, and generously topped with hazelnuts on top; in Lebanon and Syria, with pistachio powder or crushed pistachios, with coconut or candied orange peel.
As soon as it comes out of the oven, basbousa is generously soaked with a cold sugar syrup, which can sometimes contain lemon or orange juice (or zest), or orange blossom water or rose water, as well as spices such as cloves or cinnamon.
WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF BASBOUSA?
The origin of basbousa goes back to the revani of Turkish cuisine, a classic cake from the time of the Ottoman Empire.
Indeed, revani was baked for the first time by Ottoman pastry chefs to celebrate the conquest of Armenia in the sixteenth century. The battle of Revan, capital of the country, today called Yerevan, gave its name to this famous dessert.
As time passed, the revani started to delight many tables during the Ottoman period and its name was changed to revan-i meaning “precious” in the Ottoman language.
But the name of revani could also have been taken from the poet Revani who lived in Turkey between the fifteenth and sixteenth century.
Basbousa is a pastry typical of the Middle East, North Africa and the Balkans made from semolina and ground almonds, that is soaked in flavored syrup.
Prep Time: 20mins
Cook Time: 45mins
Total Time: 1hr 5mins
Servings: 8 people
INGREDIENTS:
For the cake
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3 cups fine durum wheat semolina
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1 cup ground almonds
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⅓ cup caster sugar
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½ cup cooled oil (or melted butter)
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12 oz. plain yogurt
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2 tablespoons baking powder
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1 pinch salt
For the garnish
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4 oz. roasted and crushed pistachios
For the syrup
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1 cup caster sugar
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1 cup water
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2 tablespoons rose water (or orange blossom water)
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2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
For the mold
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2 tablespoons butter
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1 tablespoon flour
INSTRUCTIONS:
Start by preparing the syrup as it will need to be completely chilled to soak the hot cake.
Syrup
Pour the water, sugar and lemon juice into a saucepan over high heat.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and cook the syrup over low to medium heat for up to 10 minutes.
When the syrup is completely cold, add rose water (or orange blossom water) and mix well.
Cake
In a large bowl, combine the semolina, ground almonds, caster sugar, salt and baking powder. Add oil, yogurt, and mix.
Grease a baking dish and dust with flour before pouring the preparation.
Pack the preparation well and smooth it out to the corners with a spatula. Using a knife, pre-cut 2-inch (5 cm) squares.
Allow the preparation to rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200°C ) while the dough is resting.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown.
Soaking and garnishing
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the cooled syrup over it, leaving the cake inside the mold and spreading the syrup evenly.
Sprinkle generously with crushed pistachios. Allow to cool completely before cutting the pieces along the pre-cut marks.
NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg