Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1.5 cup - butter, unsalted
• 1.5 cup - castor sugar
• 1 tsp - vanilla essence
• 2 cups - fine semolina
• 1 tsp - baking powder
• 1.5 tsp - bicarbonate of soda
• 1.5 cup - yoghurt
• blanched split almonds
• For the Syrup:
• 2 cups - sugar
• 1.5 cups - water
• 1 tbsp - lemon juice

How to Make Basbousa

• Cream butter, sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat well.
• Sift semolina, baking powder and soda twice.
• Fold onto butter mixture alternately with yoghurt.
• Spread batter into a greased 20 x 30 cm slab cake pan and place almonds on top in rows (four across and seven down).
• Arrange evenly so that when cake is cut, an almond will be centered on each piece.
• Bake in a mode oven for 30-35 mins until cake is cooked.
• While cake cooks, make syrup.
• Dissolve sugar in water over medium heat, add lemon juice and bring to the boil.
• Boil rapidly for 10 mins, then cool by standing pan in cold water.
• When cake is cooked, spoon cooled syrup over the hot cake.
• Cool thoroughly and cut into diamond shape or squares to serve.
• Thick whipped cream may be served with Basbousa.