Basbousa: Egyptian Semolina Yoghurt Cake

Diamond shaped basbousa slices with almond on top.

5 from 1 vote

Basbousa: Egyptian Semolina Yoghurt Cake

This Egyptian classic dessert, is a dense semolina yoghurt cake flavoured with burnt butter and honey and doused with rose, lemon and cardamom syrup.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Afternoon Tea, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Egyptian

Keyword: cake, entertaining, rose, semolina, traybake, yoghurt

Servings: pieces

Calories: 155kcal

Author: Choclette @ Tin and Thyme

Ingredients

Cake

75 g unsalted butter
150 g semolina
1 tbsp honey
250 g natural yoghurt (I used kefir)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
12 blanched almonds

Syrup

150 ml water
100 g sugar
1 tbsp honey
2 cardamom pods
1 whole clove
1 lemon juice and zest
2 tsp rose water or 2 drops of rose extract

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Cake

Simmer the butter in a large saucepan for a few minutes until it starts to turn brown (be careful not to actually burn it).
75 g unsalted butter
Add the semolina and continue to cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes.
150 g semolina
Stir in the honey.
1 tbsp honey
Remove from the heat and stir in the yoghurt, followed by the bicarbonate of soda.
250 g natural yoghurt, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
Scrape into an 20 cm (8") square lined tin or lightly greased silicone mould and leave for an hour or more to firm up.
Cut into diamonds and place an almond on the top of each piece.
12 blanched almonds
Bake at 180℃ (160℃ fan, 350℉, Gas 4) for about 30 minutes, when the top should be nicely golden, but not burnt.

Syrup

Whilst the cake is resting, dissolve the sugar and honey in the water over a low heat.
150 ml water, 100 g sugar, 1 tbsp honey
Add the cardamom, clove and finely grated lemon zest. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the syrup has thickened.
2 cardamom pods, 1 whole clove
Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
Add the lemon juice and rose water, give a good stir and pour over the hot cake.
2 tsp rose water
Leave in the tin to cool and the cake will soak up all of the syrup.
Once cool, cut into diamond shapes or 12 squares.

Notes

It's really worth persisting with the first stage of browning the butter as it adds lovely nutty notes to the cake and gives it a nice colour.

Excellent served with clotted cream.

Please note: calories and other nutritional information are per serving. They’re approximate and will depend on serving size and exact ingredients used. Please refer to my nutrition disclaimer for further information.

Nutrition