If a child is picky and selective when it comes to food you would naturally expect these finicky tendencies to be manifest across the board - no? Not when it comes to my fussy child. Hence, Fussy will carry on about broccoli, yoghurt, eggs, lentils, beans and tuna. Yet in the same breath he will devour Turkish delight, pistachio gelato, chestnut pie and halva.

What does this say about his developing palate? I wouldn't have a clue!

So the other day when I decided to make some Basbousa for afternoon tea I thought to myself 'he won't eat this' because it's got yoghurt and semolina in it. Sure enough he could not stuff it down his neck fast enough. He not only had some for afternoon tea, but requested it again for dessert that night and then asked if I could pop some in his lunchbox so he could have some for play lunch the following day at school.




I think from now on I am going to roll his broccoli in halva and mix Turkish delight into his eggs! On second thoughts, I might just go and mix some Turkish delight through some vanilla yogurt and throw in a handful of slithered pistachios - for myself.

 
Basbousa - Semolina cake with Rosewater syrup

Adapted from - Julie Le Clerc Taking Tea in the Medina (2006)


Ingredients

Semolina Cake

125g butter, softened

¾ cup caster sugar

2 organic eggs, beaten

1½ cups of fine semolina

1½ tsp baking powder

¾ cups plain organic yoghurt

Whole blanched almonds, to decorate


Rosewater Syrup

2 cups caster sugar

¾ cup of water

Juice of two lemons

A good splash of rosewater



Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas mark 4. Line a 17cm x 27cm slice tin with baking paper leaving a slight overhang on all sides.

2. In a bowl beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the beaten eggs to the butter mixture and then fold in the semolina, baking powder and yogurt and mix to combine.

3. Spread the mixture into the prepared tin and arrange the almonds on top in rows so that each cut slice will hold an almond. Bake for 35 minutes or until the surface springs back when pressed.

4. To make the syrup, combine all the ingredients except the rosewater in a saucepan. Bring to boil and then gently simmer for 5 minutes to form a syrup. Stir in the rosewater to taste and allow to cool.

5. Remove the cake from the oven and pour the cold syrup over the hot cake while still in the tin. Once the cake is cold cut into diamonds or squares. This cake will last well for 3-4 days if stored in an airtight container.