Basboosa

Basboosa or Semolina Cake is from Egypt. The cake itself is not very sweet, but by the time you pour on the glaze it is quite sweet. I made this with my students when we studied Egypt. I love using cooking as part of education. Aside from learning about culture and getting to eat yummy foods, cooking also teaches functional reading, math (fractions, measurement, etc.) social studies, health, science: it is truly holistic education.

This recipe is probably not one that I would use for casual baking. But if you ever need a recipe from this region, it is pretty good and there is nothing really scary in it. I like the texture of the almonds in it.

1/2 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups semolina flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup almonds, slivered
2/3 cups plain yogurt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan. In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter. Add semolina, baking powder, and almonds. Mix well. Add yogurt and mix well.

Spread cake batter in pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cake is golden brown. Remove from oven and pour glaze over it. Let cool before serving.

Glaze:
1 cup water
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup sugar

Heat all three ingredients to boiling. Boil for 5 minutes or until all the sugar is completely dissolved. Set aside.