Chai-Spiced Pumpkin Basbousa
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAJED ALI At its simplest and most traditional, basbousa—as well known as namoura and harisa—is a semolina cake soaked in sugar syrup. Home and pro bakers in the region have adapted this cake over time and there are numerous variations. I missed the flavors of home and yearned to sit with loved ones in o…
In the U.S.—as elsewhere in the world—fall is peak pumpkin season , and when I visited Houston’s neighborhood grocery stores, I couldn’t take my eyes off the mountains of multicolored fresh specimens, shelves upon shelves of pumpkin spice products, and the pyramid-shaped display of canned pumpkin purée. There, cooks prefer making pumpkin purée from scratch, either by boiling it until soft, or roasting it in the oven until charred and faintly smoky.
This simple and nostalgic pumpkin spice cake works well using either the canned or roasted version. Grease an 8- by 8-inch square cake pan and line the bottom and two sides with a sheet of parchment paper, leaving 3 inches of overhang on two of the sides.
In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then continue whipping until the batter is frothy, about 2 minutes.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the surface, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25–30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the chai syrup: In a small pot, stir together the sugar and 1½ cups water over low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 2 minutes.
Add the teabags, cardamom, cinnamon stick, and cloves, bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to maintain a strong simmer. Cook until the syrup is concentrated and deeply flavorful, about 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat, remove and discard the spices, then transfer the teabags to a small sieve. Stir in the butter and orange juice, then set the syrup aside to cool to room temperature. When the cake has cooled, poke it all over with a toothpick, around 12 times.
Pour the cooled syrup over the cake, cover loosely with foil, and set aside for 1 hour to allow the cake to absorb the liquid. Slice the basbousa into 12 pieces and serve warm or at room temperature. Note: While canned pumpkin works well in this basbousa method, I prefer the savor and texture of oven-roasted pumpkin purée.
To make your own, start with two small sugar pumpkins, slice them in half lengthwise, then scoop out and discard the seeds (or save them for another use). Transfer the pumpkins, cut-side-down, to a large baking sheet, transfer to a 400° F-oven and roast until the flesh is very soft and slightly charred in places.
Set aside to cool to room temperature, then use a spoon to scoop the flesh away from the skin.
- Who: PHOTOGRAPHY BY MAJED ALI · Middle East
