NAMOURA - LEBANESE SEMOLINA CAKE

Namoura - Lebanese Semolina Cake image

This is a traditional dessert, easy and yummy. Dense cake/bars with Middle Eastern flavors like rose water and orange blossom water. Good for every occasion, great after a meal, or with tea or coffee.

Provided by Cosette Khoryati

Time 35m

Number Of Ingredients 19

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Ingredients

FOR THE NAMOURA
5 c semolina
1 c fine semolina (if not found use regular semolina)
2 c butter or ghee, melted
2 c sugar
2 1/2 c plain yogurt
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp orange blossom water
1 1/2 tsp rose water
1 c almonds, blanched
FOR THE BAKING PAN
3 Tbsp tahini
FOR THE SUGAR SYRUP
3 c sugar
3 c water
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp orange blossom water
1 tsp rose water
*if you can't find rose water or orange blossom water, you can substitute them with 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract in the cake mix, but discard them from the sugar syrup.

Steps:

1. Prepare the Namoura: -In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients leaving out the almonds for garnish. The mix should be slightly thick and sticky. -Spread the tahini on the bottom and sides of a 14-15 inch round pan to prevent sticking. (feel free to use a square or rectangular pan, don't go too small though, Namoura shouldn't rise very high, not more than 1 inch thick) -Pour the Namoura mix in the pan and smooth the top. (You can do that by dipping your fingers in some melted butter and smoothing out the top) -Leave the cake to rest for 5-6 hours. (It's OK to decrease the time if you're in a hurry) -Before you bake the cake, with a watered knife, cut the namoura with evenly spaced lines to create square or diamond shaped pieces. (you don't have to cut it through to the bottom) -Decorate each square with a blanched almond or any other nuts of your choice (traditionally we use almonds or sometimes pine nuts) -Bake the Namoura in a 400 degrees preheated oven until it's golden.
2. Prepare the Sugar Syrup: -Boil together sugar and water. -Add lemon juice, when the syrup starts thickening. -Add rose water and orange blossom water just before you turn off the heat or right after. -Cool the sugar syrup completely.
3. To finish the Namoura: -Take off the Namoura from the oven, while it's very hot, pour the cooled sugar syrup all over. Preferably not all the syrup at once, let the cake absorb it then repeat. -Cool the Namoura, then cut it (on the already existing lines) and enjoy!