Semolina syrup cake
Bonus recipe, people! As you can see, we really got into semolina this week. There are tons of version of this Middle Eastern/Turkish/Greek-style cake, some use coarse semolina, some a finer one or even a mixture of the two; others include some wheat flour in the mix, or they use more coconut and no almond meal, or no coconut at all. In Greece and Turkey, versions of it are called revani; in the Arab world it's called namoura or basbousa. Some versions include eggs and oil; others, yoghurt. Some are lighter and ‘cakier’, while others are sturdier and ours is in the latter camp. It’s completely delicious though; how could it not be with all that gooey syrup? So yum. This will keep in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 5 days; you can’t really freeze it once it has the syrup over it but you could freeze it before pouring that over, then thaw and syrup it up. (We have not done this but can’t see any reason why you couldn’t).
MAKES ABOUT 24 PIECES
tahini, for brushing
540g (3 cups) fine semolina
3 tsp baking powder
150g (⅔ cup) caster sugar
65g (¾ cup) desiccated coconut
80g (¾ cups) ground almonds
175g unsalted butter, melted
500ml (2 cups) milk
2 tsp vanilla
whole almonds, for decorating
Syrup
385g (1¾ cups) sugar
250ml (1 cup) water
1 cinnamon stick
2½ tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp rosewater (optional)
Preheat the oven to 175˚C, fan-forced. Lightly grease and flour the sides of a 23 x 33cm baking pan, then line the base with baking paper. Brush the base well with tahini.
Combine the semolina, baking powder, sugar, coconut and ground almonds in a large bowl, then whisk to mix well. Combine the butter, milk and vanilla in a bowl, mix to combine, then add to the dry ingredients and stir until a batter forms. Pour the mixture to the pan, smooth the surface even, then stand for 20 minutes to firm a little. Use a small, sharp knife to score diamond shapes on the top, about 5-5.5cm across, then gently push an almond into each diamond. Bake about 30 minutes, or until a skewer withdraws clean.
Meanwhile, for the syrup, combine the sugar, water and cinnamon stick in a saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Boil for 5-6 minutes, or until the mixture has reduced and thickened slightly. Remove from the heat, remove the cinnamon stick and discard, then stir in the lemon juice and the rosewater, if using.
Pour the hot syrup over cake, then stand the cake in the tin until cool. Cut into diamonds along the score marks to serve.
