Basbousa (Arabian Semolina Cake with Rose Water and Coconut)

About This Recipe

Basbousa (بسبوسة) — also called harissa in North Africa, nammoura in Lebanon, and revani in Turkey — is one of the most widely loved desserts of the Arab world, a semolina-based cake that achieves a uniquely satisfying texture sitting between cake, fudge, and pudding. In the Gulf version, the batter is enriched with desiccated coconut and yogurt (which keeps it moist), baked until just golden, then immediately drenched in a sugar syrup perfumed with rose water and orange blossom water while hot, so the cake absorbs the syrup deeply and becomes extraordinarily moist and fragrant. A single whole almond pressed into the centre of each diamond-cut piece is the traditional decoration, both decorative and functional — it marks the cut and turns the cake into an elegant shareable platter sweet. The distinctive texture of basbousa — slightly grainy from the semolina, moist almost to the point of wetness from the syrup, fragrant with flowers — makes it completely different from Western cake and beloved across the region for precisely those qualities.

Ingredients

Serves 20

• 300 gfine semolina
• 50 gall-purpose flour
• 100 gdesiccated coconut
• 150 gcaster sugar
• 200 gplain whole-milk yogurt
• 150 gunsalted butter(melted)
• 2 largeeggs
• 1 tspbaking powder
• 1 tbsprose water
• 20 wholeblanched almonds(for decoration)
• 200 gsugar(for syrup)
• 180 mlwater(for syrup)
• 2 tbsprose water(for syrup)
• 1 tbsporange blossom water(for syrup)
• 1 tsplemon juice(for syrup)

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the syrup first

   Combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve. Simmer 5 minutes. Add rose water and orange blossom water. Cool completely before using.

   Cold syrup on hot cake is the rule — it creates rapid absorption without making the surface soggy.

2. 2

   Mix the batter

   Preheat oven to 180°C (355°F). In a large bowl, mix semolina, flour, coconut, caster sugar, and baking powder. Add melted butter, yogurt, eggs, and rose water. Mix until completely combined — the batter will be quite thick.

3. 3

   Pour and score

   Pour the batter into a buttered 30x20cm baking tray and spread evenly. Using a knife or bench scraper, score diamond shapes into the surface — about 20 pieces. Press a blanched almond into the centre of each diamond.

   Scoring before baking allows the syrup to penetrate deeply into each piece after baking.

4. 4

   Bake until golden

   Bake for 25–30 minutes until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

5. 5

   Pour syrup and cool

   Remove from the oven and immediately pour all the cold syrup evenly over the hot basbousa. It will absorb rapidly. Leave to cool completely in the tray — at least 1 hour — before cutting along the score lines and serving.

Variations

• •

  Egyptian basbousa: add 1 tbsp tahini to the batter and omit the coconut for the classic Egyptian version.

• •

  Cream basbousa: spread a layer of clotted cream (ashta) between two layers of basbousa for an indulgent Lebanese version.

Storage

Keeps at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Actually improves on day 2 and 3 as the syrup distributes fully. Does not freeze well after syruping.

Frequently Asked Questions