Basbousa
With Mazola® Vegetable Oil
SERVING SIZE
12 Servings
TOTAL TIME
50 Minutes
SKILL LEVEL
Intermediate
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Plain Yogurt
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1.5 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 3 cups Semolina, coarse
- 1/2 cup Mazola Vegetable Oil
- 1 cup Fine Coconut Flakes
- 3/4 cup Milk
- 2 tbsp Tahini Paste this is used to coat the baking pan
- Whole Almonds enough for each piece of semolina cake. Approx. 24 almonds
Simple Syrup:
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 1.5 cups Water
- Squeeze of lemon
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare a 9” × 13” baking dish by brushing the bottom and edges with tahini paste.
- Prepare the yogurt mixture – In a bowl, mix together the yogurt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- You will notice the yogurt slightly bubble and rise.
- Next, mix the dry ingredients. In another bowl, stir together the semolina and Mazola Vegetable Oil
until the mixture begins to come together. Then, fold in the coconut powder. - Combine wet and dry mixtures. Add the yogurt mixture to the semolina mixture and mix well. Then, pour in the milk and stir until a cohesive batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Tap the pan against a surface to release any air bubbles before baking.
- The batter will be thick enough to cut before baking. Score it into even squares or diamond shapes, depending on your preference. This recipe yields approximately 24 pieces.
- Place a whole almond in the center of each piece, pressing it gently into the batter. If desired, sprinkle a light layer of coconut powder over the top before baking.
- Bake uncovered on the bottom rack for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges start to brown. Then, move the pan to the top rack and bake for another 5-10 minutes, allowing the whole cake to achieve a beautiful golden-brown color.
- Prepare the syrup. While the cake bakes, make a simple syrup by combining sugar and water in a saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely, then let it simmer for about 8 minutes until slightly thickened. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Once the cake is out of the oven, reinforce the pre-cut lines by running a sharp knife over them again. Then, pour the warm syrup evenly over the cake, allowing it to absorb while still warm.
- Let the cake cool completely for at least an hour before slicing and serving. This prevents crumbling and ensures the cake fully absorbs the syrup.
