Basboosa

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp tahini paste
• 1 cup plain yoghurt
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 cups fine semolina
• ¾ cup sugar
• 170 g (¾ cup) melted butter
• Whole blanched almonds

For the syrup

• 3 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp orange blossom

Resting time: 30minutes

Instructions

1. Use the tahini paste to grease a 20 cm square cake tin. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the yoghurt with the baking powder and allow to rest for 10 minutes, or until the yoghurt bubbles and doubles in size. Pre-heat the oven to 170˚C (fan-forced).
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the fine semolina, sugar and melted butter together with a wooden spoon. Add the yoghurt mixture and stir until well combined. 
4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and top with blanched almonds at even intervals. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Cover the cake with foil if the almonds are browning too quickly.
5. While the basboosa is baking, make the syrup. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes. Stir through the lemon juice and cook for a further 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir through the orange blossom water, then allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.
6. Once cooked, remove the basboosa from the oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup over, while the cake is still hot. This allows it to absorb more syrup. Serve and enjoy.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

Want more from The Cook Up?

• Stream free here at SBS On Demand.

• Get the show recipes, articles and more here.