Basbousa with Cream
Basbousa with cream is a moist semolina cake stuffed with a layer of cream, it's so good! And really easy to prepare too, a classic Middle Eastern dessert.
Servings 12 people
Calories 250kcal
Ingredients
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 1/2 cup vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil 90g
- 1 can cream (qishta or table cream), like Nestle cans 170g
- 4 tablespoon full fat yogurt 75g
- 1 cup fine semolina 180g
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
For the cream layer:
- 2 packets thick cream, like KDD 250g each
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 1 tablespoon rose water
For assembling:
- 1 cup sugar syrup (recipe linked in recipe card) you'll need about 1/2 of the recipe
- pistachios for garnish
Instructions
For the semolina cake:
- Prepare the sugar syrup if you don't have any ready. Use the recipe linked in the recipe notes.
- Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and place the oven rack near the bottom of the oven. Lightly grease an 11x7 or 9x9 inch pan with tahini, melted butter or ghee.
- To a large bowl, add the eggs, sugar and vanilla and beat with an electric whisk or mixer until eggs get lighter in color, a minute or so.
- Add the oil, yogurt, and cream and mix again until combined.
- Add the semolina and baking powder and mix until just combined, then pour half this mixture in the greased pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown on the edges and set all over. Keep the oven on, and switch the rack to the center of the oven. Allow the basbousa to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the cream.
For the cream layer:
- Squeeze out the two packs of cream into a medium bowl, add the orange blossom and rose water and mix to combine.
- Spread this mixture evenly all over the cooked semolina base, then top with the remainder of the semolina batter, dolloping evenly over the top, make sure not to leave any gaps and to really cover the edges of the pan so that the cream filling doesn't leak out.
- Place the pan back in the oven, and bake until golden brown all over, 30-35 minutes.
- Immediately after baking, pour 1 cup of sugar syrup evenly over the top of the basbousa. It should start to soak in almost right away. Let the basbousa cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes, then you can store in the fridge until ready to serve. Garnish with pistachios before serving.
Video
Notes
For the sugar syrup recipe:
Ingredient Notes:
• Use fine semolina for a melt in your mouth texture• Use ready-made table cream (canned cream) in the batter for richness. If you prefer, you can substitute this with additional yogurt For the filling, thick cream like KDD works best, but more table cream, homemade ashta, or even ricotta can be used.
Important Recipe Tips:
• Let the first baked layer of basbousa cool for about 5 minutes before spreading the cream to help it stay in place.• Don’t over mix the semolina batter; stir just until combined for the best texture.
• Have your sugar syrup ready before the cake finishes baking. Pour it on immediately while the basbousa is hot so it absorbs fully.
• If the syrup looks like it’s pooling on top at first, don’t worry—it will soak in within 20–30 minutes.
Storing Leftovers
• Store leftover basbousa in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.• For best texture, allow slices to come to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 48mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 1mg