Egyptian Basbousa Coconut Delight (Printable)

Moist semolina cake with coconut and almonds, soaked in sweet fragrant syrup, perfect for festive occasions.

# What You Need:

→ Basbousa

01 - 1 ½ cups fine semolina
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
04 - 1 cup plain yogurt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
06 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - ¼ teaspoon salt
09 - 12 whole blanched almonds, for garnish

→ Syrup

10 - 1 cup granulated sugar
11 - ¾ cup water
12 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
13 - 1 teaspoon rose water or orange blossom water, optional

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan with butter or tahini.
02 - In a large bowl, mix semolina, sugar, coconut, baking powder, and salt until evenly blended.
03 - Add yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture. Stir until a thick batter forms.
04 - Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Score the surface into 12 squares or diamonds and place an almond atop each piece.
05 - Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - While baking, combine sugar, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat, stir in optional rose or orange blossom water, and cool.
07 - Remove baked cake from oven and immediately pour cooled syrup evenly over the hot surface.
08 - Allow to cool completely, then re-cut along scored lines and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under an hour and feels far more impressive than the effort required.
  • One cake feeds a crowd, and it somehow tastes better the next day when the syrup has settled deeper into every crumb.
  • The coconut-semolina combination creates this impossibly moist texture that no one expects from something so easy to make.
02 -
  • The syrup must be cool when it hits the hot cake, or you'll end up with a soggy, falling-apart mess instead of a tender cake that holds its shape.
  • Scoring before baking means you can cut it cleanly after without the crumbs scattering everywhere, and it lets the syrup soak deeper into each piece.
  • Don't skip the yogurt—it's what makes this moist enough to stay tender for days, not dry out by the next afternoon.
03 -
  • Use a pastry brush to oil your pan with a light hand—too much oil and the edges will fry instead of bake, too little and unmolding becomes a frustration.
  • The almond on each piece isn't just tradition; it marks the portion and holds its shape so you know exactly where to cut, plus it adds a pleasant textural surprise.
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