Basbousa with Rose Water Syrup

La storia di questo piatto

Basboussa belongs to the sweet tables of the Maghreb, where semolina and almonds have long been the language of welcome. This is a home-kitchen version, tender and fragrant, that asks only to be shared around a tray with mint tea.

Ingredienti

• 200 ml Water
• 160 g Sugar
• 1 tablespoons Rose water
• 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
• 250 g Fine semolina
• 120 g Dried grated coconut
• 80 g Finely chopped almonds
• 1 pinch Salt
• 300 ml Plain yogurt
• 100 ml Melted butter
• 2 pieces Medium eggs
• 8 g Baking powder
• 20 pieces Whole almonds

Preparazione

1. First, prepare the syrup, which must be completely cold when the cake comes out of the oven. In a small saucepan, bring the water with 120 g of sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved. Lower the heat and let simmer for 5 minutes without stirring and without letting it caramelize; in the last 2 minutes add the lemon juice, which prevents crystallization. Turn off the heat, pour in the rose water and stir. Let it cool to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (better if prepared the day before): the cold syrup will meet the warm cake and be absorbed without making it heavy. Meanwhile, melt the butter and let it cool slightly for the batter.
2. While the syrup cools, in a large bowl combine the semolina, grated coconut, chopped almonds, the remaining 40 g of sugar, the baking powder and a pinch of salt, mixing well. In another bowl lightly beat the eggs with the yogurt and the lukewarm melted butter, then pour the mixture over the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until you obtain a thick, soft batter without dry semolina lumps, to be spread with the back of a wet spoon. Let it rest for 10 minutes so the semolina hydrates. During the rest, preheat the oven to 180°C.
3. Line a rectangular baking tin (about 20x25 cm) with parchment paper and lightly grease it. Spoon the batter in and level it with the back of a spoon dampened with water, so it doesn't stick and the surface stays smooth. With a knife, score squares of about 5 cm (4 rows of 5 squares, 20 in total), without cutting all the way through, and press a whole almond into the center of each.
4. Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes: the basbousa is ready when the surface is golden and the edges begin to pull slightly away from the tin. As soon as you take it out, while still hot, slowly pour the cold syrup over the entire surface so that it is absorbed evenly.
5. Let the basbousa rest for at least 2 hours at room temperature, until it has fully absorbed the syrup and is soft and moist. Serve it cut along the already-made lines, in portions of 3 squares each.