Eggless Basbousa | Middle Eastern Sweet Cake

Basbousa is a Middle Eastern sweet cake made with cooked semolina soaked in a simple sugar syrup(flavored with orange blossom  or rose water).Coconut is an added addition which adds flavor but you can always omit if you don't like the flavors and increase the semolina for that quantity.The cake is made rich with butter,sugar,yogurt,eggs and topped with blanched almonds.This is also a  popular dessert among Coptic Christians for fast such as Great Lent and the nativity fast.I have adapted this recipe from here and the author uses egg in that recipe but I substituted it with more yogurt just to cut down calories.I made this on one of our potlucks here and all liked it.The cake is moist with buttery flavor and sweet with sugar syrup.The only drawback was that I didn't get the golden brown color on top though the crust was nicely golden at the corners and bottom(may be because I used a glass pan for bake).But we liked the texture very much and all enjoyed.I have added the amount of eggs in the notes section in case if you wish to make it more richer !!

Ingredients
for basbousa
coarse semolina 1.5 cups
fine semolina 1/2 cup
shredded coconut 1 cup
sugar 2/3 cups
baking powder 2 tsp
unsalted butter,melted 2/3 cup
plain yogurt 1 cup + 1/4 cup
vanilla extract 2tsp

for sugar syrup
sugar 200 gm(7/8 cup)
water  2 cups(474 ml )
rose water 1tsp
lemon juice 1/4 tsp

Method

• MAKING SUGAR SYRUP- Add the sugar and water and bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved.Add the lemon juice and boil for 10 minutes till syrup is thickened.Pour in a bowl and leave aside to cool.Add the rose water and mix well.

• MAKING BASBOUSA-In  a bowl,measure out the coarse & fine semolina,sugar,baking powder and dessicated coconut.Add the melted butter,yogurt and give a quick stir.Add tsp of vanilla extract and mix well to combine.If its too thick,add milk.Grease a baking tray of 8*8"  or12* 8" with butter and pour the contents in the tray/pan.Level it evenly and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 380 degrees F or 19 degrees C.Score lines to make squares or diamond shapes and gently press,place a blanched almond in each piece.Bake in pre heated oven to 40 minutes.Remove from oven and pour the sugar syrup all over the baked basbousa.Wait to drench completely and pour slowly.Bake again in  oven for 15 mins.Remove from oven,leave to cool completely.Score over the lines,cut in slices and enjoy !!

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Servings~ a tray of 8*8 size

NOTES
* If you don't find fine semolina ,use coarse alone.If you don't like coconut flavor then replace with same amount of semolina.
* You can use ghee in place of butter.
* Score the lines after you refrigerate so that the batter gets firm.
* Use 2 eggs to this recipe if you wish to have a richer flavor.In that case reduce the 1/4 cup extra yogurt mentioned in the recipe.
* Add hot boiling water to whole almonds and leave for 3 minutes.Drain water and blanch the almonds if you don't have blanched almonds.
* If you have left overs then refrigerate and microwave for 45 secs/place in oven at 200 degrees F for 10-15 mins before serving .
* Use all the sugar syrup,you may not be able to pour all at once then wait till the syrup is absorbed slightly to add the rest.
* I have used rose water to flavor the syrup but you can always use orange blossom water too.

One more to tempt all,

Simit ~ A Turkish Bread : Baking Partners Challenge Sept 2014

This month Baking Partners Challenge was baking Simit.This is a turkish sesame seed circular ring bread.Simit is a famous street bread or the poor man's bread.They are dipped in molasses.Simit is generally served plain with tea for breakfast or with fruit preserves or with cheese.The recipe was suggested by Swathi @ Zesty South Indian Kitchen.My kids loved having with nutella.This has a crispy outer cover with soft bread inside.Do give it a try & enjoy !!

Adapted here &  video
Ingredients
bread flour (or use unbleached all purpose flour) 3.5 cups (325 g)

water 1cup + 2 tablespoon

sugar a pinch

instant yeast (use active dry yeast if you don’t have instant yeast in hand) 2 teaspoon/6g

salt 1.25 tsp /1 ¼ teaspoon /6g

for dipping

molasses (use concentrated  jaggery or brown sugar water) 2 tablespoon

water ½ cup

white sesame seeds 2 cups

Method

- (If using active dry yeast, then dissolve yeast in 100 ml warm water and let it stand for 3 min.) 

-In a bowl add flour, yeast, salt and pinch of sugar and mix well.Then gradually add water to form smooth dough,knead well about 10 minutes until the dough is no longer sticky. 

-Cover the dough and leave it in a warm place for 1.5 hours or until doubled in bulk.Turn out the dough into a lightly floured surface and punch down.Knead for 2 min.

-Divide it in 12 pieces(about 45 g each) and shape them in long rolls.
-Take two rolls and form a twisted rope like this.
-Then form this twisted rope in a circle by pressing and sealing the edges together.
-Dissolve the molasses in 1/2 cup water and dip each circular ring in this.
-Keep a plate ready with sesame seeds and roll each dipped simit in sesame seeds.

-Set aside for 20 minutes for second rise on a tray with parchment paper.Simit needs to plumb up little.
- Bake them in 450 F pre-heated oven for 20-25 min or until brown.Cool on wire rack and serve warm with tea !!

Serves ~ 6 simit 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

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