Basbousa with cream (Ashta)

Basbousa is one of the most popular oriental sweets. It's so moist and soft melts in the mouth. 

Ingredients

Dough:

• 3eggs
• 140g sugar
• 150ml oil
• 145g heavy cream
• 170g yogurt
• vanilla
• 280g semolina
• 1tbsp. baking powder

Cream:

• 750ml milk
• 40g cornstarch
• vanilla

Syrup:

• 300g sugar
• 250ml water
• lemon juice or vanilla

Instructions

Step1: Syrup

Add water and sugar to a saucepan over medium-high heat; Bring the mixture to boil and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Let it cool aside.

Step2: Cream (Ashta)

1. In a saucier, combine milk, vanilla, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat; whisking constantly until the cream begins to thicken.
2. Once it thickens, add the heavy cream and continue whisk.

Prepare the cream while the first half of the basbousa is still baking; it is easy to pour it on top of the basbousa cake. 

Let it cool down and form a skin on the surface before pouring the other half of the batter.

Step3: Basbousa Dough

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (375 degrees F).
2. In a large saucepan bring oil and sugar. Mix thoroughly.
3. Add eggs, and vanilla; whip until foamy (approximately 2 minutes).
4. Add semolina, baking powder, and a pinch of salt; mix well until fully combined and the batter falls off the whisk in a thick ribbon.
5. Grease the baking dish with oil.
6. Pour half of the basbousa dough inside the tray and bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
7. Pour all the cream and top with the rest of the basbousa dough.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.

Pour the syrup immediately over the hot basbousa.

Garnish with crushed pistachios, slice it and serve!