Baklava Semolina Cake by Yudhika Sujanani

The silly season is here….and most people think that it starts around November. For me, it’s been a silly year….with 17 episodes of Mela on SABC 2 plus more to be shot, a recipe column in the Post, Holi Cow… and the KitchenAid competition!it’s been a full plate…really full and then came along the Post Diwali supplement that will also be featured in the Daily News! It’s going to be a bumper Diwali with another supplement for Diwali with Golden Cloud that will also be featured in the Post newspaper.

I am just completing the recipes and proofreading which means that the end is near! Must say, although its fabulous to finish a project, I am really going to miss all the recipe trials and feasting and the 5am starts to my day….there have been pies, cakes, biscuits and curries….my best were the home-made bread rolls and naan.

I have been under the whip…but the best thing about doing these features is you have to come up with new recipes….and this one will make you fall in love! It’s a Baklava Semolina Cake! This is an eggless recipe which is also great for the fasting month. I love semolina cake…it has a lovely texture and it soaks up the fragrant syrup. Topped with toasted pistachios and almonds, it is irresistible! Speaking about irresistible, the KitchenAid competition was won by Renuka Lallbahadur and for the latest competition to win one of my kitchen must-haves from AMC cookware worth R3350, click here….https://yudhikayumyum.com/competition/amc-giveaway/

You might worry that there is lots of syrup in this recipe…but the semolina soaks up every little bit of the syrup. Leave the cake for a few hours before serving to ensure the syrup soaks through and there isn’t a dry centre.

So this recipe is the hook….there are more delicious recipes coming your way…..and just a few more days till the Post is out….diarize it….Post Newspaper: Wednesday 15th October!!!! If you would like to watch some of the cooking clips from Sugar ‘n Spice click here, https://yudhikayumyum.com/new-videos/ and for the clips from the new show, Mela, click here….https://yudhikayumyum.com/sabc-2s-mela-videos/

Eggless Baklava Semolina Cake by Yudhika Sujanani

Baklava Semolina Cake
Ingredients
325g Golden Cloud semolina
45g desiccated coconut
100g sugar
5ml bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
150g melted butter
200ml milk
30ml double thick greek yoghurt

Syrup:
350g sugar
350ml water
2 cinnamon sticks
30ml honey
15ml lemon juice

Topping
4 sheets of phyllo pastry
60g melted butter
140g roasted pecans and flaked almonds

Here’s how:
Preheat the oven to 175°C.
Place the all the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.
Pour the mixture into a 20cm loose bottom baking or pie tin.

Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until a skewer comes out clean and the top is pale golden brown.

While the cake is in the oven, prepare the syrup.

Place the sugar, water and cinnamon sticks in a thick-bottomed pot.
Heat on low until the sugar melts, stirring continuously.
Increase the heat and simmer until the syrup lightly coats the back of a spoon – it should be slightly sticky to the touch – it should not be too thick or it will not drench the cake.
Remove from the heat, then stir in the honey and lemon juice.

Pour the hot syrup over the warm cake and reserve a 60ml syrup for the topping.

Brush the phyllo sheet with melted butter, then layer with the next sheet. Brush the sheet with butter and repeat until all five sheets are done.
Brush the top of the pile with melted butter, then roll the sheets up to resemble a swiss roll.

Slice the roll into 5mm pieces and place on a baking tray. Bake at 175°C for 5 minutes.
Remove from the oven and unroll them slightly so they resemble ribbons.
Bake again until golden brown.

To assemble:
Sprinkle half the nuts over the cake, then arrange the phyllo pastry on top.
Sprinkle the remaining nuts over the cake, then drizzle with 60ml reserved syrup.