Semolina Cake
This cake is absolutely delicious. Like many Greek cakes it comes with a very sweet syrup. The cake is actually prepared in few steps starting day before the dinner. First the semolina is cooked in a pot, then it is baked. On the next day the cake is cut into portions and fried in a pan and finally served when swimming in the syrup. The result is certainly worth all this process.
Cake:
½ L (1 pint) milk
3 tbsps. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of ½ orange
½ cup thin semolina
Syrup:
2½ cups sugar
1½ cups cream
1/4 tsp. salt
50 g (2 oz.) butter
oil for frying
Frying:
1 egg
breadcrumbs
oil for frying
Serving:
cinnamon
sugar powder
Preparation time: 1 hr. 20 mins of which 40 mins a day before
Difficulty level: Medium
Servings: 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1 - cooking:
In a pot heat the milk with sugar, vanilla and orange zest. When boiling, reduce the heat, add semolina and whisk constantly until the mixture is smooth and bubbling.
Step 2 - baking:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F)
Butter a 28 x 18 cm (13" x 9") baking pan.
Put the mixture in the pan and bake for 20 mins until it is golden brown. Let cool and keep in the fridge overnight.
Step 3 - syrup:
In a pot heat the sugar while stirring, and caramelize it until light brown. Gradually add the cream, while constantly stirring and finally the salt. Cook until it is smooth and quite thick. Cool a little and then whisk in the butter.
Step 4 - frying:
Cut the cake into portions. In a deep plate beat the egg. In another plate prepare the breadcrumbs.
Put each portion in the egg, covering from all sides, then in the breadcrumbs, then fry from both sides until golden brown. Put on a paper towel to absorb the oil.
Serving:
In each serving plate pour some syrup, then put the piece of cake and sprinkle with some cinnamon and sugar powder. Serve hot.