Basbousa
If you've got fine semolina, desiccated coconut and plain yogurt, you're most of the way to this Middle Eastern dessert: about 60 minutes of cooking across 6 steps. Below: the ingredients split into pantry staples and a quick shopping list, a built-in serving scaler, and the method in 6 steps.
You'll mainly reach for oven and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: not verified. We could not confirm rose from the ingredient list, so we make no dietary claim for this recipe.
Contains: Gluten Dairy Tree nuts
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- First make the syrup by simmering the sugar, water and lemon juice for about 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened, stir in the blossom water, then leave it to cool completely.
- In a bowl combine the semolina, desiccated coconut, sugar and baking powder, then stir in the yogurt and melted butter to form a thick, spreadable batter and let it rest for 15 minutes.
- Spread the batter evenly into a greased square baking tin, smooth the top, and score it into diamonds or squares, pressing an almond into the centre of each piece.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 180C for 30 to 35 minutes until the top is deep golden and the cake is set and springs back lightly when pressed.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, ladle the cooled syrup evenly over the hot surface so it soaks in, listening for the gentle sizzle.
- Let the basbousa stand for at least 30 minutes to absorb the syrup and firm up, then cut along the scored lines and serve at room temperature.
You'll use: Oven · Saucepan
Ingredient substitutions
- Butter
- olive oil (¾ the amount) · coconut oil · margarine
- Lemon
- lime · 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per lemon
What to serve with Basbousa
Tips & common questions
How long does Basbousa take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 6 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of butter?
Try olive oil (¾ the amount). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Basbousa suitable for my diet?
We make no dietary claim for this recipe: at least one ingredient could not be resolved to a definite plant or animal source, so labelling it either way would be a guess. The full ingredient list is above.
Related recipes
Original recipe — developed in-house by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Basbousa is an original Middle Eastern recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Revane.jpg by Biser Todorov, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top — how we source recipes.