Coconut Basbousa
A delightfully moist, sweet Middle Eastern semolina cake richly infused with coconut and soaked in fragrant sugar syrup.
Ingredients
- •2 cups fine semolina flour (320g)
- •1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (80g)
- •1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- •1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (240ml)
- •1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (113g)
- •1/2 cup whole milk (120ml)
- •1 teaspoon baking powder
- •1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- •1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- •Blanched whole almonds for garnishing
- •1.5 cups granulated sugar (for syrup)
- •1 cup water (for syrup)
- •1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- •1 teaspoon rose water or orange blossom water
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and generously grease a 9x9 inch baking pan with butter.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the fine semolina flour, shredded coconut, granulated sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
- 3
Pour in the melted butter, whole milk yogurt, whole milk, and vanilla extract. Stir gently until all the ingredients are well incorporated and a thick batter forms.
- 4
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- 5
Score the top of the batter lightly with a knife into diamond or square shapes, and press a blanched almond into the center of each piece.
- 6
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 7
While the cake is baking, prepare the sugar syrup by combining the 1.5 cups of sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- 8
Bring the syrup to a boil, add the lemon juice, and let it simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the rose water.
- 9
As soon as the hot basbousa comes out of the oven, evenly pour the cooled or lukewarm sugar syrup all over the top of the cake, listening to it sizzle.
- 10
Allow the cake to cool completely and absorb all the syrup for at least 2 hours before slicing along the scored lines and serving.
💡 Chef tips
- Make sure to use fine semolina (sometimes labeled as farina or cream of wheat) rather than coarse semolina for the best tender cake texture.
- For the best results, pour warm syrup over hot cake, or cold syrup over a warm cake; never combine hot-on-hot or cold-on-cold.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
✅ How it should turn out
The finished coconut basbousa should be golden on top, remarkably moist and tender from the absorbed syrup, with a fragrant aroma of vanilla, coconut, and floral water.