Dynamic Africa

ohyeahsudan:

“Basbousa is sweet semolina and coconut cake with a sugar and lemon syrup. It is very popular in Egypt, Sudan (esp. for Eid) and throughout the Middle East. It is normally baked in a large tray, cut into diamond shapes with an almond on each piece, and finally soaked with the deliciously sweet syrup.

Ingredients (for the cake)

1/2 Glass Sugar

1 Glass Powdered Coconut

1 Glass Semolina (Suji)

2 Tabsps Flour

1 and 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder

1 and 1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract

1/2 Glass Oil

2 Eggs

Whole skinned Almonds to decorate (optional)

For the Syrup

2 Cups Water

1 and 1/2 Cup Sugar

The juice of 1/2 a Lemon

(here the lemons are huge, in pakistan, the juice of 3-4 lemons or to taste)

Directions

First of all, prepare the syrup by putting the water in a pot over medium heat. When it starts to boil, add the sugar and stirr till all the sugar is dissolved. Then add the lemon juice and cook for another 10 mins. Set aside to cool down.

For the cake, it is a good idea if you bake it in your most beautiful baking dish(2-2.5 inch deep), glass is preferable as it cooks and sets well in it, and you can serve it directly rather then tranfering it to something else. Coat your baking dish with some cooking oil and then sprinkle with flour to make it non-stick and set aside.

Simply combine all the dry ingredients well, this is important so that the baking powder mixes well with everything resulting in a successful cake. Then add the oil, eggs and vanilla. Mix well, and pour into your baking dish. Place the skinned almonds at such a distance so that when u cut it into daimond shape, an almond lands on each piece. Bake the cake on 170°C for about 45 mins or until the top is dry and Golden Brown.

Pour the cooled syrup over the cake while the cake is still hot and let it stand until it reaches room temperature. Then with a knife, cut it into daimond shapes or squares…”