Basbousa

Name: Basbousa
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 170 g cream; 3 eggs; 240 g Arla® Skyr; 240 ml vegetable oil; 200 g sugar; 3 tbsp corn flour; 350 g semolina; 75 g shredded coconuts; 600 ml Arla Cravendale Whole milk; 3 tbsp sugar; 1 tbsp baking powder; 240 ml water; 400 g sugar; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 240 ml rose water; 130 g chestnuts; 2 tbsp sliced almonds; 2 tbsp powdered pistachios

Basbousa is known as a classic cake that pairs well with practically any kind of iftar menu. The combination of the buttery, nutty semolina cake and the thick cream filling makes for a delightful dessert that appeals to dessert lovers of all ages. With our basbousa recipe, preparing the tender cake served with nuts and rose water syrup is simple.

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Instructions

Basbousa base

In a bowl, mix the eggs and the sugar.
In another bowl, mix the Arla Skyr yoghurt, the sugar and the cornflour. Mix this with the egg mixture.
Whisk in the semolina, then add the coconut and continue stirring. Set aside.

Cream filling

In a saucepan, mix the Arla Cravendale whole milk, the sugar, and the baking powder, and bring to a boil. Then add cream and whisk until mixed.

Baking

In the mould, spread out a layer of semolina batter, then add a layer of the cream mixture, and top with a last layer of the remaining semolina batter. Bake for 40 minutes.

Syrup

To prepare the syrup, place the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes without stirring.
Stir in the lemon juice and rosewater and remove from the heat. Leave to cool.

Assemble and serve

Remove the cake from the oven and remove it from the mould upside-down. Top with syrup, then chestnut, almonds, pistachio, and coconut and it will be ready to serve

Enjoy!

Questions about basbousa

With our quick and easy basbousa recipe with coconut and cream, making a delightful dessert to serve friends and family for iftar is simple. To learn more about the classic Ramadan dessert, keep reading below.

What is basbousa?

Sometimes also known as harissa dessert, this Arabian classic is a popular semolina cake with a soft cream filling. The sweet and buttery cake is usually made with shredded coconut, almonds, and cream and drizzled with sugar syrup flavoured with aromatic ingredients like rose water or orange blossom water. Enjoyed at weddings, iftar parties, and Eid celebrations alike, this sweet cake is soft and moist and has a wonderfully creamy filling as well as crunchy toppings.

How to make basbousa?

A homemade basbousa with cream, coconut, and rose water syrup is a wonderful addition to any dessert selection. To make it, start by preparing the semolina batter with coconut, then the cream filling. Then layer the two mixtures in a greased baking tin – first semolina batter, then cream filling, and then a final layer of batter. As you bake the cake, make the homemade sugar syrup, and prepare the crunchy toppings. Drizzle the warm cake with rose water syrup and sprinkle it with chestnuts, shredded coconut, slices of almonds, and ground pistachios. Serve it either warm, cold, or at room temperature with a hot beverage.

What does basbousa taste like?

A basbousa recipe with yogurt, semolina, and coconut allows you to make a deliciously soft cake that has a sweet and buttery flavour profile with nutty undertones. Drizzled with a sugar syrup made with aromatic rose water and zesty lemon juice, it becomes even moister with a fragrant, floral quality. With its crunchy toppings – almond, pistachio, and chestnut – it is a well-rounded cake with many different tastes and textures.

How to store basbousa?

To allow the semolina cake to retain its moisture, store it in an airtight container. After it has cooled, transfer it to the container and place it somewhere dark and cool, and enjoy the rest of the dessert within 2 days. You can also refrigerate it; in that case, it will last up to 5 days, but make sure to let it soften and acclimate before serving it.

Ingredients

Basbousa:

Cream	170 g
Eggs	3
Arla® Skyr	240 g
Vegetable oil	240 ml
Sugar	200 g
Corn flour	3 tbsp
Semolina	350 g
Shredded coconuts	75 g
Arla Cravendale Whole milk	600 ml
Sugar	3 tbsp
Baking powder	1 tbsp

Syrup:

Water	240 ml
Sugar	400 g
Lemon juice	1 tbsp
Rose water	240 ml

Garnished with:

Chestnuts	130 g
Sliced almonds	2 tbsp
Powdered pistachios	2 tbsp

Arabian basbousa with cream filling

Basbousa is an incredibly soft and moist cake. Made with semolina and shredded coconut, it has a sweet, nutty, and almost buttery flavour with a little bit of texture to contrast the silky filling. The soft semolina cake, creamy filling, and crunchy toppings come together to create an interesting and decadent pistachio basbousa dessert with plenty of different textures, and a generous shower of sugar syrup ensures its moist and tender texture.

Classic flavours from semolina, coconut, and yoghurt

Prepared with the lovely ingredients of a traditional basbousa recipe, this semolina cake is delectable. The yoghurt helps ensure a tender crumb and serves to introduce a bit of acidity and freshness to prevent it from becoming overly sweet. The yoghurt also allows for the nutty flavours of the semolina and shredded coconut to shine through and create the cake's signature buttery taste that goes perfectly with the cream filling.

Serve an easy basbousa dessert for guests

A cream basbousa with yoghurt topped with coconut, almonds, and pistachios makes for a wonderfully sweet dessert. Enjoy it with tea or coffee to round off your evening meal. This coconut basbousa with cream makes for a lovely gift to bring to any iftar party you may be invited to. Simply place it on a platter, wrap it in cling film once it has cooled, and adorn it with a ribbon or a bow to turn it into a decorative and tasty hostess gift.

Are you looking for other creamy iftar desserts? We suggest having a look at our recipes for balah el sham, caramel vermicelli, and fruit salad with whipped cream as well. Made with a natural-flavoured thick cream, all these different desserts are delectably creamy and tasty.

Add your own touch

The sweet, nutty semolina flavour of this cream filled basbousa may be brightened by the addition of orange flower water. Orange flower water has a unique bitterness and delicate citrussy flavour that may be used to lighten the flavours of the cream filling or added to the homemade syrup as its lightly floral notes also pair well with those of the rose water syrup.

If you would instead like to play up the basbousa semolina cake’s sweetness by introducing more fruity flavours, a layer of homemade date spread between the cream and pastry will be a tasty addition. The dates' chewy texture and almost caramelised taste are sure to bring something wonderful to this classic iftar dessert.

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