Basboosa

SUBMITTED BY: Lubna PHOTO BY: Qut al Butun

"This is a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made with semolina and yogurt, then soaked in a rose water syrup. I got this recipe from my sister-in-law."

PREP TIME	20 Min
COOK TIME	30 Min
READY IN	50 Min

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 12 dessert squares

USMETRIC

About scaling and conversions

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups semolina flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons flaked coconut
1 tablespoon baking powder
6 whole almonds, split in half
1 1/2 cups water
1 3/4 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons rose water

READ REVIEWS (9)

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, mix together the semolina flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, yogurt, oil, coconut, and baking powder. Set aside for 30 minutes.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together the water, 1 3/4 cups sugar, and rosewater. Bring to a boil, and boil for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread the semolina batter into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking pan. Slice into squares or diamonds, and place on almond half onto each piece.
Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until light brown. Switch the oven setting to broil, and broil until the top is golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the oven, and pour the syrup over the squares. Serve warm.

Editor's Note

We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount may vary depending on cook time and temperature, ingredient density, and the specific type of oil used.

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REVIEWS

MORE MEMBER REVIEWS

Reviewed on Apr. 12, 2007 by CREEBOO

This was delicious! I used only a fraction of the syrup called for however - saved the rest as most of the first batch got eaten today by friends and coworkers! I also had only 3/4 cup of yogurt but went ahead anyway. I upped the coconut slightly and ended up having to cook it an additional 6 minutes, and then under the broiler for about 45 seconds.

3 users found this review helpful

Reviewed on Oct. 13, 2006 by TUNISIANSWIFE

this is wonderful and so simple. I made this as a Ramadan dessert treat for my DH and his friends. I upped the coconut by 1 tbsp. Decreased the sugar in the syrup by 1/4 cup and just boiled it a bit longer to get the right consistency for simple syrup. I had homemade rosewater my sister in law made and it is a bit stronger than store-bought. I still upped the rosewater by about 1tbsp. I just taste-tested the syrup after it was finished and adjusted accordingly. The flavor was not overpowering and was just perfect. Orange blossom water can also be substituted. **You may see semolina flour packaged as "cream of wheat" in a Middle Eastern or Indian grocery; it is the same as semolina flour, just a different name. Even though mine got a little too brown on top, it did not affect the flavor. Next time I'll only do 1 minute under the broiler. As it cools, it will absorb the simple syrup. These are also just as good served cold. Thanks so much for this wonderful simple recipe that will become a staple for my husband's sweet tooth!

3 users found this review helpful