Hareesa is a popular semolina-based dessert that is made in so many different ways in various regions of the Middle East. Some make a fluffier cake using a finer form of semolina and some people add coconut. This is more known as Basbousa. I decided to use coarse semolina which give a grainier texture that soaks up the sweet syrup very well. This dessert has very few ingredients and is extremely easy to make but it's one of my favorite Middle Eastern sweets! This was the first dessert I made for Ramadan and my family and in-laws absolutely loved it! Do you make this dessert with coarse or fine semolina?
Top each piece with a whole almond or some pistachios before baking in the oven for a beautiful presentation.
It's important to pour the cool sweet syrup on the hareesa as soon as it is taken out of the oven while still hot, so the cake can absorb the syrup to soften and sweeten it.
Growing up, my mom always made hareesa and basbousa for my dad since it's one of his favorite desserts. However, she always used fine semolina which made a fluffier and softer cake. I decided to switch things up and try coarse semolina with this hareesa. It was a great turnout and the yogurt I added into the batter softened up the textures of the semolina when baked.
Sweet syrup, or Katir in Arabic, is used to sweeten many Middle Eastern desserts. It's the final perfect touch and adds a light beautiful sweetness to the dessert. I made the syrup an hour before preparing the hareesa so that it was cool enough to pour on the freshly baked dish! You can add orange blossom water to your syrup, however I choose to omit it since it has such a strong taste.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Yields: About 20 Pieces
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 28 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups Coarse Semolina
3/4 cup Butter, melted
3/4 cup Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 cup Light Plain Yogurt
1/2 cup Whole Almonds or Pistachios
2 Tbsp. Ghee, clarified butter
For the Syrup:
3 cups Sugar
2 cups Water
1/2 tsp. Lemon Juice
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small bowl, mix the plain yogurt and baking soda and let it sit for a few minutes until it doubles in size.
In a large bowl, add the semolina, butter, and sugar with a wooden spoon until evenly incorporated. Add in the prepared yogurt and baking soda mix and continue to mix with a wooden spoon.
Grease a baking sheet with the ghee on the bottom and its sides.
Pour the batter onto the greased baking tray and spread it out evenly, to about 1 inch thick.
Cut the hareesa into the serving sizes you want and set the pre-cut batter aside to rest for 15 minutes.
Add the almonds onto each square and bake in the oven for 18- 20 minutes until the cake has browned into a deep golden color.
Remove the cake from the oven and immediately pour the sweet sugar over it.
Allow the dessert to cool to room temperature.
Serve with mint tea and enjoy!
Syrup Intructions:
In a stove-safe teapot or a small saucepan, place the water, sugar, and lemon juice and mix well.
Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the temperature to low and allow it to cook for another 25 minutes, until the sugar has thickened into a syrup-like texture.
Remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. If you have excess, store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Comments