Basbousa Bel Ashta Recipe

Nothing transports me to Egypt like a slice of basbousa bel ashta savored with my morning espresso. Primarily based on the traditional Egyptian semolina cake known as basbousa, this “bel ashta” variation provides a wealthy cream filling and a rose-scented syrup. The confection is drenched within the syrup whereas it’s nonetheless sizzling after which usually bought as bite-sized, diamond-shaped bars in bakeries all through Egypt. 

Legend has it that this wealthy cream-filled model was first made at Koueider, considered one of Egypt’s oldest pastry retailers established within the Nineteen Thirties. To today, Koueidar’s recipe for basbousa bel ashta stays a tightly guarded secret. Desperate to share a childhood favourite with my Egyptian diasporan household, I created my very own. My recollections of the dessert guided me via the method, and after a lot trial and error, I arrived at this model, which reproduces the unique faithfully. 

In Arabic, ashta actually means “clotted cream,” the thick sheet of protein that rises to the floor of heated unpasteurized milk. The actual problem in creating this dessert was to discover a system for ashta that might stand the warmth of the oven and stay fluffy with out disappearing into the dense semolina batter whereas the cake bakes—one thing that occurred to me repeatedly in my early makes an attempt.

My resolution is to combine heavy cream with cream cheese to create a creamy layer with sufficient construction to carry its personal with out bleeding into the cake as they bake collectively. That might not be what the bakers at Koueidar do in Egypt, however it works. To stability the sweetness of the syrup-drenched dessert, I add orange zest to the semolina batter and orange rind to the straightforward syrup, which cuts via the sugar with a refined bitterness and acidity whereas complementing the richness of the filling. I am additionally cautious to not over-sweeten the ashta; there’s sufficient sweetness coming from the syrup to keep away from each factor of the cake being equally saccharine.  

Semolina, the primary ingredient, is obtainable on-line and in Center japanese shops. It is vital to make use of coarse semolina on this recipe, which offers the right texture for the cake’s crumb; something too nice and you may find yourself with a really totally different consequence.

The ultimate cake is a formidable sight, with a shiny, glazed floor and outlined layers of soppy semolina cake and thick, creamy ashta. With some chopped pistachios on prime so as to add crunch and a posh taste that is in turns floral, natural, and citrusy, it is a winner on all fronts.