Basbousa Mediterranean Middle Eastern Cake (with Asal syrup)

Name: Basbousa Mediterranean Middle Eastern Cake (with Asal syrup)
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 3 eggs; 1 cup sugar; 1 tsp. vanilla paste (or pure extract); 1 cup ricotta cheese; 1/2 cup canola oil; 1 tbs. orange zest; 1 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed); 1 1/2 cups semolina; 1 cup flour; 1 cup ground coconut; 1/2 cup almond flour/mill; 1 1/2 tbs. baking powder; Oil spray; 3/4 cup sugar; 1 1/2 tbs. lemon juice (freshly squeezed); 1/2-3/4 cup water; 1 drop rose extract; 1 drop zahar extract ((optional))

January 28, 2018 Huppit Bartov Miller

Basbousa Mediterranean Middle Eastern Cake (with Asal syrup) (Photo by Huppit Bartov Miller)

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Basbousa Mediterranean Middle Eastern Cake (with Asal syrup)

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Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Servings 25 small pieces

Ingredients

Ingredients for cake:

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla paste (or pure extract)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tbs. orange zest
1 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
1 1/2 cups semolina
1 cup flour
1 cup ground coconut
1/2 cup almond flour/mill
1 1/2 tbs. baking powder
Oil spray

Ingredients for ‘Asal’ syrup:

3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tbs. lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1/2-3/4 cup water
1 drop rose extract
1 drop zahar extract (optional)

Instructions

Instructions for cake:

Whisk eggs and sugar to a light, fluffy mixture.
Whisk “wet” ingredients (vanilla paste, ricotta cheese, canola oil, orange zest and orange juice) together.
Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture.
Add the semolina, almond mill and ground coconut and mix together.
Transfer batter into an oil-sprayed 9’’x 9’’ x 2’’ cake pan.
Score the batter into squares.
Place a blanched almond on each square.
In a preheated oven, bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes.
After baking, cut cake using previously scored lines.
Add a couple of rose petals to each piece.
Brush the asal syrup onto the cake slowly and evenly.

Instructions for asal syrup:

Combine sugar, lemon juice and water and bring to a gentle boil.
Dissolve sugar and cook until small bubbles surface.
When syrup becomes slightly sticky, turn heat off.
Add one drop of rose extract and one drop of zahar extract.