Syrian Nut Cake (H'risseh)

Method13 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Blend all 1 1/4 cups coarse semolina, 6 tablespoons room-temperature butter and the separate 1/4 cup batter sugar together in a large bowl with a spatula.

   Uses 1 1/4 cups coarse semolina flour, not fine · 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature · 1/4 cup superfine caster sugar for batter

2. 2

   Step 2: Add all 1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to the semolina mixture and mix well.

   Uses Semolina, butter and batter sugar mixture · 1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt · 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3. 3

   Step 3: Grease a 10 inch round cake pan with the full 1 teaspoon tahini.

   Uses 1 teaspoon tahini for greasing the pan

4. 4

   Step 4: Spread all the prepared yogurt-semolina batter in the tahini-greased pan and smooth it with a spoon.

   Uses Yogurt-semolina cake batter

5. 5

   Step 5: Cover the pan with cling film and refrigerate the batter for 3 hours.

   Rest semolina batter in refrigerator · 180 minUses Smoothed batter in the greased cake pan

6. 6

   Step 6: Near the end of the batter rest, preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C.

7. 7

   Step 7: Take the batter pan from the refrigerator and remove the cling film. Scatter all four topping nuts over the batter: 1/3 cup each blanched almonds, pistachios, walnut pieces (1/3 cup) and unsalted cashews (1/3 cup).

   Uses Three-hour chilled semolina batter · 1/3 cup blanched almonds · 1/3 cup shelled pistachio nuts · 1/3 cup walnut pieces · 1/3 cup unsalted cashews

8. 8

   Step 8: Bake the nut-topped cake at 400°F / 200°C for about 40 minutes, until golden.

   Bake Syrian nut cake · 40 minUses Chilled cake batter with four-nut topping

9. 9

   Step 9: Prepare the fragrant syrup in steps 10–11 while the cake bakes.

10. 10

    Step 10: Put the separate 1 cup syrup sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1/2 cup syrup water in a saucepan over medium heat.

    Uses 1 cup superfine caster sugar for syrup · 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice · 1/2 cup water for syrup

11. 11

    Step 11: Bring the sugar-water mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Boil for 3 minutes, then stir in 1 tablespoon each rose water and orange blossom water (1 tablespoon). Mix and remove from the heat.

    Boil dissolved syrup before floral waters · 3 minUses Sugar, lemon and water for syrup · 1 tablespoon rose water · 1 tablespoon orange blossom water

12. 12

    Step 12: When the cake is golden and baked, pour all the prepared fragrant syrup over it. Let the syrup-soaked cake stand for 30 minutes so it absorbs the syrup, even if the syrup initially looks abundant.

    Rest cake after adding all syrup · 30 minUses Golden baked nut-semolina cake · Finished rose and orange-blossom syrup

13. 13

    Step 13: Slice the rested cake into 8 portions. Serve with the separately prepared coffee if desired.

    Uses Nut cake after thirty-minute syrup absorption · Prepared coffee to serve alongside, if desired