Harissa is a typical Middle Eastern dessert very popular in Egypt. It is a dense, moist cake, gooey with a fragrant simple syrup. Harissa, also known as basboosa is a semolina sweet cake with a delicate balance of citrus notes, coconut, optional rose notes, and accented with golden almonds on top. It is the perfect treat to serve to guests with tea and coffee, and its simple recipe method will entice anyone to prepare it!

Many Egyptians also call this dessert basboosa. Basboosa is my nickname my father used for me as a child. The name basboosa literally translates to my sweet or my precious when used as a term of endearment, so it can certainly be applied to both your loved ones or this scrumptious dessert! Depending which region of Egypt one is from, it would be referred to as harissa (Alexandria) or basboosa (Cairo and the vicinity). Growing up, basboosa has always been a part of our family dinner parties, a basic sweet to have on hand for casual guests, and of course, for the month of Ramadan. I recall enjoying basboosa many moments with friends and families. It is truly a delightful treat, and especially nostalgic because you really only receive or serve it in the home, made with love by your mother or grandmother. I remember enjoying this dessert with my best friend in Ramadan; we sat there savoring the gooey delicious little cakes, licking our fingers from the sticky crumbs that remained.

I am so fond of making harissa at home, especially when we have guests because it is SO easy to make! You can whip all ingredients easily in a bowl with a spatula and no eggs are needed for the batter! Mixing this up is truly a cinch, yet the flavor and texture so complex.  My Syrian and Lebanese friends refer to this very cake as namoura in their homes and Turks may refer to it at Revani. I have seen versions of this dessert in Jewish traditions, as well as Greek and Armenian cuisine! As I always say, bonding and connection always happens through food! 

I love my mom’s recipe because it is so light and not overly sweet and heavy like some Middle Eastern desserts can be. Although this is a syrup soaked cake, the batter is a nice and fluffy semolina and coconut mixture with minimal sugar (you could even omit it in the batter). The syrup that soaks into typical Middle Eastern desserts is a simple sugar syrup, heavy with rose water or orange blossom essence added to it. The syrup used for this basboosa is very fragrant and light. As my mom always does, I simply use a dash of lemon juice, and orange rind for flavor which balances nicely with the sweetness of this semolina cake. 

Ingredients

Harissa is made with coarse semolina flour, which you can find in any Middle Eastern market, Italian specialty shops, or other specialty grocery stories. If you cannot find it, a good substitute you may use is the Cream of Wheat cereal mix made with farina wheat. Just make sure it is not the instant variation as that grain is too fine. This recipe cannot be made with fine semolina, it should be the coarse type.

The cake is made without eggs, and uses yogurt and sour cream instead. Be sure to use plain yogurt as flavored kinds have additives that can change the recipe. It is easily whipped together in one bowl and bakes in one large sheet pan. It cannot get any easier!

The simple syrup is incredibly easy:  dissolve sugar in water and boil it until it becomes thickened, add a hint of flavoring with lemon juice and orange juice, and optionally rose water, and then a tablespoon of butter. In my mother’s recipe for syrup, a fresh squeeze of lemon juice is important to help the syrup thicken. I add the rind of an orange to scent and flavor the cake with more depth of flavor. In the winter, when we have great citrus I like to add orange zest into the batter of the basboosa, for variation. 

I rarely use rose water because I don’t like the quality of the rose syrup we have locally. However, if I get my hands on some of the pure rose essence, it is a must! I have also started boiling rose buds in the syrup water, before I add the sugar. This makes for a similar fragrant effect that is purely rose. The delicate scent of rose in each bite is so lovely.

Other people like to add orange blossom to the syrup. You can use what you love! The syrup should be prepared in advance as it needs to be poured after cooling, onto the hot cake, fresh out of the oven. The syrup becomes fully absorbed by the cake this way, making it so lusciously moist and gooey. 

The batter is so incredibly easy you will want to get up and make this as soon as you read this! All you need is semolina flour, baking powder, yogurt, a dash of butter, coconut, sugar and sour cream. No eggs! You mix all of these together into a nice thick and creamy batter, allow it to sit and rise for 30 minutes, and then spread into a 9 inch rectangular pan. Bake at 400 degrees (F) for about 30 minutes. In no time, you will have gorgeous little semolina squares to enjoy for dessert!

Harissa is traditionally presented with a slivered almond on top of each slice and cut into squares or diamonds. This sweet semolina cake pairs perfectly with coffee or tea.

Basboosa AKA Harissa

This simple cake made with semolina and coconut is a dense, moist cake, gooey with a fragrant simple syrup. This cake has a delicate balance of citrus notes, coconut, optional rose notes, and accented with golden almonds on top.

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Course Dessert

Cuisine egyptian, Middle Eastern

Servings 12 pieces

Ingredients

  

For the cake:

• 2 c coarse semolina
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1/2 c butter or coconut oil
• 1 c finely shredded coconut
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 c plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tbsp orange zest optional
• 1/2 cup halved almonds optional, for garnish

For the syrup:

• 1 3/4 c water
• 2 c sugar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp orange juice
• rind of fresh orange peel optional, for flavoring or 1 tsp rose essence, or 1 tsp orange blossom essence
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F).

For the syrup

• First make the syrup as it needs to cool and thicken and cool before pouring onto the baked cake. Pour the sugar and water into a pot and bring to a boil.
• Once the sugar has dissolved, add the lemon juice and orange juice. The pectins allow the syrup to thicken, instead of caramelize into a hard candy.
• Allow to simmer 3-5 minutes until the mixture slightly thickens. Do not leave it for too long or it will caramelize and burn. Add orange rind as it boils, or after the syrup has thickened.
• When the liquid has reduced a bit, remove the rind if added, and add the butter and vanilla and stir well. Add rose essence, or orange blossom essence once you remove it from heat. Remove from heat once the butter has melted and allow to cool.

For the cake batter

• For the cake, mix all the ingredients together in bowl until well combined. Cover with a towel and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
• Spread into a 9″ baking pan and place a halved or slivered almond on top where you will slice each square. Bake for 30 minutes until the top is golden. You may also top the basboosa with slices of citrus.
• Once you remove the pan from the oven, pour the cooled syrup over the entire cake, evenly, while the cake is still hot. Allow it to absorb; you might not need to use all of the syrup. Slice into squares or diamonds, garnish with more crushed almonds or pistachios, and enjoy!

Notes

Basboosa is traditionally topped with nuts. My mom uses slivered almonds, but in Egypt I have seen crushed pistachio or hazelnuts as well. Use what you like! For a nut-free version, I use slices of fresh oranges as we have allergies in our home. Make it beautiful and top with what you like.

Keyword almonds, cake, coconut, lemon, rose, semolina, syrup

This creamy soup is really the epitome of autumn warmth. The squash, the roasted vegetables, the spices, and roasted red pepper combine together beautifully and exude all that fall, Thanksgiving, and autumn harvests have to offer. It is extremely easy to make and the herbs and vegetables roasting will perfectly scent your home to set the mood.

I really believe in eating whole foods as natural and pure as possible. In doing so we get the most health benefits of the many miraculous unaltered foods presented to us in nature. We would all be a lot more better off and healthier if we did! The base of this soup is a beautiful butternut squash. Butternut squash are high in fiber, making this fruit a very heart friendly food source. It is also rich in antioxidants, so it is great for anti-inflammatory benefits to relieve ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. The vibrant orange color of the squash is evidence of its high carotenoid content, or beta carotene which our bodies converts into vitamin A. The squash is also very rich in potassium and vitamin C. As if all THAT isn’t enough, this lovely gourd is also high in folate, which is essential to immunity, the nervous system, and helps protect against birth defects. It is also rich in several B vitamins which are essential for regulating blood sugar levels and maintaining a healthy energy balance! So really, we can all benefit from consuming this super food and this soup offers all these benefits and more from a variety of other seasonal vegetables! Read here for more about butternut squash benefits.
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 These gorgeous gourds are all over the grocery stores this season, and if you have never really known what to use them for, well this is it right here! Basically you slice open the squash, drizzle it with olive oil, honey, anise, cinnamon and a few other spices and let it roast alongside some red bell peppers and onions. You puree all these fragrant roasted vegetables, add broth, some sauteed baby bellas, and a dash of cream and you have gotten yourself a creamy, beautiful, and heart warming bowl of gourmet soup!

Roasted Butternut Mushroom Soup

2013-11-12 03:18:34

Serves 4

A creamy soup with sweet roasted squash and savory seasonal vegetables make this the perfect bowl of warmth for a chilly autumn day!

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Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

45 min

Prep Time

30 min

Cook Time

15 min

Total Time

45 min

Ingredients

1. 1 butternut squash
2. 1 c chopped onion
3. 1/2 c sliced fennel
4. 1 shallot sliced
5. 1 tbsp minced garlic
6. 1/4 c sliced red bell pepper
7. 2 potatoes cubed (optional, for a thicker and heavier soup)
8. 1 c sliced baby bella mushrooms
9. 4 tbsp olive oil
10. 2 tbsp honey
11. 1 tsp anise
12. 1 tsp sage or rosemary
13. 1 tsp cinnamon
14. 1 tsp pumpkin spice
15. pinch of cayenne pepper
16. 1-2 c of chicken broth
17. 1/2 c heavy cream
18. salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice open the butternut squash lengthwise (hot dog style) and drizzle with 2 tbsp of olive oil, the honey, anise, rosemary or sage, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, salt, and pepper. Place face down onto a pan and arrange the red bell pepper, potatoes if using them, and 1/2 c of chopped onion beside the squash. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes until the squash becomes fork tender.
3. When the squash is done, remove from oven and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
4. In a large pot, sauté the mushrooms and minced garlic in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Once the mushrooms start to get soft, remove from pot and set aside.
5. Add the remaining olive oil to the pot and sauté the remaining onions, fennel, and shallot until translucent and caramelized. Add the roasted vegetables from the pan, scooping the butternut squash out of its skin. Add 1/2 of the sautéed mushrooms. Season well with salt and pepper and toss until combined.
6. Pour 1 cup of broth over the vegetables. You may add more broth to achieve the desired thickness of soup. If you added potatoes you will need another cup of broth so that it is not too thick.
7. Remove the pot from the heat and carefully puree with an immersion blender until smooth and creamy.
8. Once the soup is smooth, add the remaining mushrooms and stir well with a wooden spoon. You will not need to puree the remaining mushrooms.
9. Add 1/2 cup of heavy cream and stir. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for heat.
10. Serve with your favorite crusty bread or croutons and enjoy!

Notes

1. Nursing mothers: Sage decreases breast milk production, be careful how much you consume.

By Noha ElSharkawy

Sugar & Garlic https://sugarandgarlic.com/

If you love chocolate and peanut butter you will LOVE this. If you pop Reese Peanut Butter Cups like potato chips, you NEED this! I am in love with the Ron Bennington cupcake found at Molly’s cupcakes, and being the bakery’s next door neighbor is not doing my wallet (or my waist!) any favors. Molly’s Cupcake’s number one selling cupcake is the Ron Bennington- a chocolately decadent cupcake that oozes perfectly sweet and salty peanut butter. Reese Peanut Butter Cups are also the Hershey factory’s number one seller. I doubt that this is a coincidence. Chocolate and peanut butter are just a match made in heaven ya’ll. My chocolatey know all might be related to the fact that I have lived a mile from the Hershey factory in Hershey, PA for three years, and I now happen to live next door to the reknowned Molly’s cupcakes (neither my husband or I are employees of the chocolate or bakery industry). I take this as a very clear sign of my destiny…to be a chocolate-peanut butter lover who must share the love with you all.

Decorate the dark chocolate frosting with peanut butter chips or crushed peanuts and toffee.

My equally obsessed with chocolate + peanut butter baker buddy Suzane (Hey Suzane!) came over and we decided to embark on our own Ron Bennington because we just cannot afford the time or money to constantly stop at Molly’s. So here is our ripped recipe that is actually super easy. Really, we pulled this off with 2 screaming toddlers running around and a major time crunch! While my walls and bed sheets ended up with a mess of crumbled cheese and whatever else the girls were getting into, these lovely cakes met a much sweeter destiny of chocolatey peanut buttery perfection. The peanut butter filling is very easy: creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar, butter, and whipping cream. The chocolate cupcake  is a very rich and decadent formation of cocoa powder and melted chocolate. The dark chocolate frosting is to die for. This is my favorite chocolate frosting and it is definitely going into my archives!

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For the cupcakes you must use the buttermilk because  it reacts with the baking soda to fluff up these babies, so as gross as buttermilk looks and/or smells do not omit! To fill the cupcake, there are two ways to go about it. You could actually drop dollops of the peanut butter mixture into the center of the cupcake batter in tin pans before it bakes and it will bake right into the center of the cupcake! You could also bake the cupcakes as usual, then hollow them out with a corer and fill with as much peanut butter filling as you want. The latter option is better if you want to core out more cake and control how much peanut butter you insert. You can follow the process with the images below. 

The above cupcake had the peanut butter baked in, and the lower cupcake had it inserted after baking. You cannot really see a difference in the texture except that when baked the peanut butter is melted into the batter.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Cupcake

2013-11-07 09:45:12

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Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

18 min

Total Time

38 min

Prep Time

20 min

Cook Time

18 min

Total Time

38 min

For the Cupcake

1. 1/2 c unsalted butter (1 stick)
2. 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate
3. 1/2 c cocoa powder (not dutch processed)
4. 3/4 c all purpose flour
5. 1/2 tsp baking soda
6. 3/4 tsp baking powder
7. 1/4 tsp salt
8. 2 large eggs at room temperature
9. 1/2 c granulated sugar
10. 1/4 c light brown sugar
11. 1 tsp vanilla extract
12. 1/2 c buttermilk
13. 6 oz warm espresso

For the peanut butter filling

1. 1 c peanut butter
2. 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3. 1/3 c light brown sugar
4. 3/4 c powdered sugar
5. 2 tbsp of heavy cream

For the frosting

1. 2 3/4 confectioner sugar
2. 2/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
3. 6 tbsp softened butter
4. 6 tbsp heavy cream
5. 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pan with wrappers.

For the Peanut butter filling

1. Start by preparing the peanut butter filling. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy.

For the Cupcakes

1. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a microwave stirring every 20-30 seconds.
2. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. In a larger bowl combine the sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract.
4. Add the cooled melted chocolate mixture and stir until smooth.
5. Add half the flour mixture and then half the buttermilk and stir. Repeat to combine the remaining flour and buttermilk. Do not over mix. Stir in the warm espresso.
6. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 of the way, then drop a teaspoon of peanut butter into the center of each cupcake, and bake for 30 minutes. You could also add the peanut butter AFTER you bake the cupcakes by coring them out once cooled and piping in the peanut butter with a pastry bag.

For the Frosting

1. Whip the butter until fluffy.
2. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa to ensure there are no lumps. Slowly stir into the butter until combined.
3. Add the heavy cream and stir to dark chocolatey perfection.
4. Pipe the frosting on with a zip bag or a pastry bag.

By Noha ElSharkawy

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

Sugar & Garlic https://sugarandgarlic.com/