Namoura Egyptian Honey Cake Recipes

NAMOURA (EGYPTIAN HONEY CAKE)

Steps:

• 1. Gather Ingredients.
• 2. Preheat oven to 400˚F.
• 3. Put the butter in the microwave-safe bowl, and heat 15 seconds at a time until mostly melted.
• 4. Mix farina, sugar and butter in a bowl.
• 5. Mix the baking soda and baking powder, then stir into the yogurt in another bowl. When mixed, add it to the farina mixture and blend together.
• 6. Grease the baking pan with a little shortening and pour the batter inches (As an option, you can drizzle the top with 2 tablespoons of yogurt.).
• 7. Using a knife, score the top of the batter into medium-sized rectangles -- or to be a bit fancier, try diamond shapes! (You'll probably make 12-16 pieces.) Place a blanched almond in the middle of each piece.
• 8. Using your oven mitts, put the pan into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until it's brown on top.
• 9. When the cake is done, it out of the oven. Let it cool for 10 minutes while you clean up the kitchen.
• 10. Drizzle honey over the top. Cut along the lines you scored.

NAMOURA (SYRUP-SOAKED SEMOLINA CAKE)

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over high heat, boil sugar and 1 cup/240 milliliters of water, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add lemon juice and extract, and stir to combine. Simmer until thickened into a syrup, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with butter. Place the semolina, melted butter and sugar in a large bowl and stir until well combined; set aside.
• Place the yogurt and baking soda in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Set aside until the mixture has nearly doubled in size, about 10 minutes.
• Pour the yogurt mixture over the semolina mixture and mix well to combine. Transfer to the buttered baking dish and press into an even layer. Using a knife, score the surface of the namoura on the diagonal into 2-inch diamond-shaped pieces. Top each diamond in the center with an almond. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Place baking dish on a wire rack and drizzle the cooled syrup over the top of the hot namoura. Let cool to room temperature before recutting along the scored lines and serving.