Basbousa Recipe aka Namoura or Harissa Dessert (Middle Eastern Coconut Semolina Cake)

Basbousa Recipe aka Namoura or Harissa Dessert (Middle Eastern Coconut Semolina Cake)

Basbousa is a rich, dense cake with a rustic texture from semolina, and a sticky sweetness from sugar syrup infused with rosewater or orange blossom water.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword Basbousa, Basbousa Cake, Basbousa Recipe, Harisa, Harissa Dessert, Namoura, Namoura Cake, Namoura Recipe, Semolina Cake

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 35

Other Time: 2

Servings servings

Calories 358kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Ingredients

Scented Sugar Syrup:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon orange blossom water or rose water or vanilla extract

Coconut Semolina Cake:

1 tablespoon tahini to grease the baking pan
2 cups fine semolina
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tablespoons blanched almonds for the top

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Scented Sugar Syrup:

Add the sugar, water and lemon juice to a medium, thick-bottomed saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat, giving the pan an occasional swirl and skimming off any foam on the surface.
Turn heat down slightly and boil 2 minutes, swirling the pan occasionally. (The syrup will thicken more upon cooling.)
Turn off heat and stir in the orange blossom water or rose water; cool to room temperature, then use.

For the Cake:

Preheat oven to 375F (190C); brush the tahini on the inside of a 10-inch (25 cm) round baking pan.
Whisk together the semolina, baking powder, sugar, and coconut in a large bowl. Stir in the butter and milk until combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it out evenly; let it sit for 10 minutes.
Score the batter into 1-inch (2.5-cm) square or diamond shapes with a sharp knife, periodically dipping the knife in hot water and drying it off before continuing to score the batter; place 1 almond in the center of each diamond.
Bake until the sides and top are golden brown, about 30 minutes. (If the sides are brown but the top isn’t, you can broil the cake for a couple minutes to brown the top.)
Once out of the oven, cut the cake along the lines you scored. Slowly pour the cooled syrup onto the hot cake. Let the cake sit at room temperature 2 hours to absorb the syrup before serving.

Video

Notes

Recipe: This recipe was adapted from the recipe for Coconut Semolina Cake (Harissa) in my cookbook, An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair (Tuttle Publishing; Nov. 2012).
Flavoring the Sugar Syrup: You can use vanilla or cinnamon instead of rose water or orange blossom water if you prefer.
Tahini to Grease the Pan: I love using this unique technique of greasing a pan with tahini to bake a cake! Its primary purpose is to help prevent the cake from sticking, but it also imparts a touch of nuttiness to the cake. However, if you don't have tahini, you can just use butter or ghee (clarified butter) instead.
To Make This Cake With Yogurt: If you want to make this cake with yogurt, reduce the milk to 3/4 cup and add 1 cup of plain, unsweetened yogurt (use regular yogurt, not Greek yogurt here).
Let the Batter Rest: Let it sit for 10 minutes once it's in the pan. It will thicken a bit so it's easier to score. I definitely recommend scoring it before baking so it crumbles less.
The Cake Should Be Brown on Top: My mother-in-law always took the time to broil the top to get it a lovely golden brown. If the sides are brown and the top isn't, broil the cake for a few minutes to brown the top.
Hot Cake and Cool Syrup: For the cake to fully absorb the syrup, when you pour on the syrup the cake should be hot out of the oven and the syrup should be cooled to room temperature.
Storage: Once this cake is cooled to room temperature, wrap it with plastic wrap and store it overnight at room temperature. After that, you can store the cake covered in the fridge for up to 5 days more. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition