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Namoura (Lebanese Semolina Cake) Recipe

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3.9 from 5 reviews

Namoura is a traditional Middle Eastern semolina cake soaked in fragrant sugar syrup, featuring a rich texture and nutty topping. This recipe combines semolina, sugar, and ghee with a beautifully aromatic orange blossom syrup to create a moist and sweet dessert perfect for gatherings and celebrations.

  • Total Time: 12 hours 55 minutes
  • Yield: 30 servings

Ingredients

For the Cake Dough

  • 700 grams (4 cups) semolina
  • 350 grams (1 1/2 cups) granulated sugar
  • 100 ml (1/3 cup) animal ghee (use a good quality brand)
  • 1/2 leveled teaspoon baking soda
  • 350 ml (1 1/4 cups) water
  • 150 ml (2/3 cup) cold ready sugar syrup
  • 3 tablespoons full fat milk powder (optional, but recommended)
  • A handful of nuts (almonds, pine nuts, or cashews)

For the Sugar Syrup

  • 600 grams (3 cups) granulated sugar
  • 500 ml (2 cups) water
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons orange blossom water
  • 1 tablespoon ready sugar syrup or tahini
  • 1 tablespoon ghee

Instructions

  1. Prepare Sugar Syrup: Make the sugar syrup a few days in advance by combining sugar and water, boiling, adding lemon juice, and orange blossom water as detailed in step 11. Store in an airtight container refrigerated and use cold syrup in the dough and hot syrup for soaking the baked cake.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine semolina, sugar, and baking soda. Mix with your hands to evenly infuse the ingredients.
  3. Add Cold Sugar Syrup and Milk Powder: Add 150 ml cold ready sugar syrup into the semolina mixture, mixing with fingertips until the syrup penetrates the dough. Stir in milk powder if using.
  4. Incorporate Water: Gradually add 350 ml water, mixing with your hands until you achieve a thin, dropping yet not liquid consistency.
  5. Prepare Baking Tray: Grease a 38 cm (15-inch) round baking tray evenly with tahini or sugar syrup and ghee, covering bottom and sides.
  6. Transfer and Spread Dough: Pour dough into the prepared tin and spread into a leveled single layer about 1 1/2 cm (1/2 inch) deep. Shake the tin slightly to even out the batter.
  7. Swell the Semolina: Cover the dough with clingfilm and rest for 8 to 12 hours at room temperature to allow semolina grains to swell and absorb syrup.
  8. Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 200°C (400°F).
  9. Score the Dough: Using a serrated knife, carefully score the dough into equal squares or diamonds, making marks but not cutting through fully yet.
  10. Add Nuts: Place your selected nuts (blanched sliced almonds, pine nuts, or cashews) over each scored section.
  11. Initial Bake: Bake the namoura on the lower oven rack for 20 minutes until it starts browning.
  12. Cut Through and Add Ghee: Remove from oven, cut all the way through along scoring lines with a serrated knife, and evenly drizzle 1 tablespoon ghee over the surface.
  13. Finish Baking: Move the rack to the center, return the namoura to the oven, and bake for another 15 minutes until the top is golden brown and the cake is fully cooked through.
  14. Prepare Hot Sugar Syrup: While baking, prepare the sugar syrup by boiling sugar, water, lemon juice, and orange blossom water for 2 minutes as in step 11; keep syrup hot.
  15. Soak the Cake: Remove baked namoura from oven and immediately pour the hot sugar syrup evenly over the entire surface to soak through.
  16. Rest and Serve: Let the namoura sit for 3 to 4 hours to fully absorb the syrup and reach perfect moistness. Cut along scored lines again if needed and transfer squares to a serving plate using a pie server spatula.

Notes

  • Resting the dough overnight is essential to allow semolina to swell and absorb liquid for the signature texture.
  • Use good quality ghee for best flavor and richness.
  • Do not overuse baking soda to avoid any off-taste.
  • Orange blossom water in the syrup adds a traditional fragrant aroma; do not substitute with other flavors.
  • The soaking syrup must be hot when poured on the baked cake to properly saturate it.
  • Variations of nuts can be used according to preference or availability.
  • Maintaining the correct batter thickness ensures a moderately thick cake; thinner or thicker layers will change texture.
  • Author: Amelia
  • Prep Time: 12 hours 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Find it online: https://recipesvibe.com/namoura-lebanese-semolina-cake-recipe/