Light Yoghurt Basbousa

📝 Ingredients

• 250 g fine wheat semolina
• 2 whole-milk natural yoghurts (125 g each)
• 1 egg
• 80 g caster sugar (for the batter)
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil (2 ½ for the batter, ½ for the tin)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 lemon (zest for the batter, juice for the syrup)
• 100 g caster sugar + 150 ml water (for the syrup)
• 1 tbsp orange blossom water
• 8 whole almonds

🍴 Utensils

• 20 cm square tin
• Mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Small saucepan
• Fine grater

📖 Steps

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Oil a 20 cm square tin (or a 22 cm round tin) with ½ tbsp oil spread with kitchen paper, paying particular attention to the corners and sides.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg with 80 g sugar for 1 minute, until the mixture turns slightly pale. Add the yoghurts, the remaining 2 ½ tbsp oil and the grated lemon zest, then whisk until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the semolina and baking powder, then mix with a spatula to a thick, even batter with no dry bits. Leave to rest for 10 minutes: the semolina swells as it absorbs the yoghurt, which makes the cake moist.
4. Pour the batter into the tin and level it with the back of a wet spoon. With a knife, mark out 8 portions by scoring the batter 5 mm deep, then press an almond lightly into the centre of each portion.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the centre comes out dry. If the top is still pale, put it under the grill for 2 minutes, watching very closely.
6. While it bakes, make the syrup: bring 100 g sugar and 150 ml water to the boil in a small saucepan, then simmer for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Off the heat, add the lemon juice and orange blossom water, then leave to cool until lukewarm.
7. As soon as it comes out of the oven, run the knife through the score marks right to the bottom, then immediately spoon the warm syrup over the hot cake, a little at a time, letting each area absorb it before adding more.
8. Leave to rest for at least 30 minutes, ideally 1 hour, at room temperature: the cake soaks up all the syrup and becomes meltingly soft. Cut the 8 portions along the score marks and serve at room temperature.