What is Basbousa
Basbousa is a type of dessert that belongs to the cake category. It is made from yogurt, coconut, and semolina and soaked in a simple syrup. It is also known as revani, hareeseh, and nammoura.
During the feasts, Christians and Muslims have eaten this dessert. This food has a moist and tender texture. This dessert is easy to make. It includes healthy ingredients. Badbousa is sweetened with simple syrup and flavored with rose water. This is an amazing dessert that can be served for parties, celebrations, friend gatherings, and for family members.
History of Basbousa
This dessert is originated in the revani of Turkish cuisine at the time of the Ottoman Empire. In the sixteenth century, his dessert was prepared for the first time by an Ottoman pastry chef to celebrate the conquest of Armenia. Nowadays it becomes as a popular dessert throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Iran, Greece, and Turkey.
In Turkish cuisine, this dessert is called revani and in the Middle Eastern countries, this is called Basbousa.
Ingredients of Basbousa
Semolina is the key ingredient of Basbousa. The ingredients are dependant on the country. In some countries, this is prepared with almond or pistachio powder, hazelnuts, and candied orange peel.
- Semolina
- For preparing basbousa you should take coarse semolina to get the right texture and consistency for the dessert. If you used different semolina, the whole cake will fall apart.
- Coconut
- The desiccated coconut is used for this recipe. It affects the texture and adds intensity to the flavor. It helps to bind the cake well and gives a lovely sponge.
- Plain Yogurt
- Sheep yogurt is more suitable for this recipe. It helps to get a delicious basbousa and adds less tartness to the food. Sheep yogurts are available in supermarkets. If you can’t find sheep yogurt, you can use cow’s yogurt. It should use plain yogurt, not a non-flavored variety.
- Orange Blossom Water/Rose Water
- Orange blossom water is more delicate and a sweeter fragrance which gives a most delicious food.
Basbousa
Ingredients
For Sugar Syrup
- 2 ¼ cups Sugar
- Water
- 1 ⅓ tbsp Lemon Juice
For Basbousa
- 2 Eggs
- ⅔ cups Yogurt
- ⅔ cups Sugar
- ⅔ cups Flour
- ⅓ cups Shredder Coconut
- ⅓ cups Vegetable Oil
- 1 ¼ tbsp Vanilla
- 1 ¼ tbsp Baking Powder
- ⅔ cup Semolina
Instructions
Making Sugar Syrup
- Take a pot and add 2 ¼ cups of sugar, and water
- Then stir it and allows to boil.
- Once the sugar has boiled, add lemon juice for it.
- Then keep boiling and once it reach to the threading point, remove from the stove and let it cooles down.
- Take a bowl and add eggs, ⅔ cups of sugar into this.
- Mix them well.
- Then, add yogurt, vegetable oil and mix well.
- Next, add shredded coconut, semolina.
- Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the egg mixture.
- Then, add vanilla to that mixture.
- Mix all together well.
- Take a cake tray and brush oil/butter on the tray.
- Transfer the cake mixture into the tray.
- Preheat the oven.
- Then bake the basbousa at 1800C for 20-30 minutes until the top is browned.
- After baking, when the cake cooling down, cut into pieces but don't remove the pieces.
- Then, pour the sugar syrup into the cake.
- Now the basbousa is ready. Enjoy it.
How much water?