Authentic Arabic & Levantine Recipes
Basbousa Recipe (Harissa / Nammoura): Tender Semolina Cake Soaked in Blossom Syrup
Basbousa (also known across the Levant as harissa or nammoura) is the beloved golden semolina cake of Middle Eastern bakeries. Coarse or medium durum semolina is rubbed with warm melted ghee before folding in yogurt and coconut, baked in a tahini-brushed pan with blanched almonds, and drenched hot-on-hot with fragrant syrup.
Also known as:Basbousa (Middle Eastern semolina cake)Syrian harissa / Palestinian hreesehLebanese nammoura with almonds
Servings8
Prep time20 min
Cook time40 min
Ingredients
Add all ingredients to cart- 500 g coarse or medium durum wheat semolina (smeed)
- 150 g warm melted ghee, 150 g caster sugar and 50 g fine desiccated coconut
- 250 g full-fat plain yogurt, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1.5 tbsp tahini for coating the baking pan, plus whole blanched almonds to stud the top
- For the hot syrup (qatr): 400 g sugar, 350 ml water, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp orange blossom water and 1 tsp ghee
Preparation Steps
- 1In a mixing bowl, combine the semolina, sugar and desiccated coconut, pour over the warm melted ghee and rub gently between your fingertips for 2 minutes ('bass' method) so every grain of semolina is coated in fat.
- 2Add the plain yogurt, baking powder and baking soda and fold together gently with a spatula for just a few seconds until combined (avoid over-mixing once liquid is added, or the cake will turn dense rather than crumbly-tender).
- 3Brush a 28–30 cm baking pan evenly with tahini, spread the semolina batter smooth and let it rest for 15 minutes so the grains hydrate; score the top into diamonds or squares with a knife and press a blanched almond into the centre of each piece.
- 4Bake in a preheated oven at 190 °C for 30 minutes until the edges are deeply browned and the top is a rich golden amber.
- 5During the final 10 minutes of baking, boil the sugar, water and lemon juice in a saucepan for 10 minutes, then stir in the orange blossom water and 1 tsp ghee; pour the piping-hot syrup immediately over the hot basbousa straight from the oven and let it soak and cool before slicing.
