Basbousa
During my time in Qatar I have had the pleasure to meet many talented and creative local chef’s, and one lady, in my mind, stands out from the crowd and this is Maryam Mohamed Abdulla, whose particularly flare is to capture ‘traditional’ recipes shared and passed down through generations of families in Qatar.
Basbousa meaning Hareeseh, or Nammoura, is a traditional Middle Eastern sweet cake which originated in Egypt, however, as with all recipes passed down through the families, differing interpretations take place in order to call a recipe ‘your own’.
This delicious semolina cake sweetened with a rose water syrup belongs to Maryam, and I share it with you in its traditional form, yet as with the JULES natural tweak of serving with cream and blackberries. I also think in time I will work on this recipe a touch more, reducing the sugar content and using a honey syrup perhaps in order to moisten the cake but for now, let us keep to and enjoy a touch of local tradition.
Ingredients
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Cake
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80g butter- softened
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185g caster sugar
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400g semolina
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2 eggs
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170ml milk
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1 tsp vanilla essence
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½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
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1 tsp baking powder
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Handful of blanched almonds- flaked or whole
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Sugar syrup
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400g caster sugar
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360ml water
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1 tbsp lemon juice
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1 tsp rose water
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Saffron- a few strands
Instructions
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Prepare the syrup:
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01 Dissolve caster sugar and water in a small pan over a low heat. When sugar dissolved add lemon juice and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat, add rosewater and saffron strands. Leave to one side to infuse.
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Prepare the cake:
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02 In a large mixing bowl blend together butter and sugar until light, add vanilla essence. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix baking powder and baking soda with the semolina and add gradually with the milk to the butter and sugar mixture. Beat until smooth.
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03 Pour cake mixture into a prepared baking tray and decorate with almonds.
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04 Bake in a moderately hot oven for 30-35 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch.
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05 Remove from the oven, pour over the syrup and cut into squares.
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06 Serve hot with fresh cream and a few fresh blackberries.
Notes
Please use 20cm x 30cm rectangular cake tin, lightly buttered or lined with baking paper. I would also like to add that the amount of sugar syrup in this recipe may appear generous but it is essential to moisten the cake so please use it all. This recipe is definitely for those with a sweet tooth.
