Best Namoura Cake Recipe - AKA Harissa Dessert

Harissa is a delicious easy dessert made with semolina or farina flour, then covered with simple syrup once baked. The Arabic name harissa means mashed or crushed and refers to how the ingredients are mixed.

This great recipe has different names in different areas of the Middle East, known as namoura dessert or namoura cake under Lebanese desserts or as a delicious Lebanese semolina cake, on the other hand, the Egyptian version is known as basbousa recipe or basbousa cake, or even as an Egyptian harissa dessert. 

This harissa dessert is a sweet cake and is very popular in any Palestinian home. This typical middle eastern dessert is so easy to make with a handful of ingredients. I often make this dish either when I have people over or if I’m invited to a friend’s house. Everyone loves it no mistake.

Jump to:

• Equipment
• Ingredients
• Step by Step Instructions
• Substitutions
• Pro-Tips
• Storage
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Harissa Dessert AKA Namoura
• Simple Syrup
• Harissa
• Harissa

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Equipment

Large mixing bowl (6-8 QT) - to mix all the ingredients together.

Utility Wisk - to use for mixing all the ingredients.

Baking pan - Pan Bakeware Rectangular 13 in x 9 in x 2 ¼ in | 33 cm x 22.8 cm x 5.7 cm.

Small sauce pan - to use for making sugar syrup.

Ingredients

Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Semolina versus Farina: Semolina is coarsely milled durum wheat commonly used in making couscous and other Palestinian desserts like ma'ammoul or hilbeh. For this harissa recipe, I am not using fine semolina but rather the thicker version of it, farina which can be found in any middle eastern market. Farina is a key ingredient in this recipe, make sure it's a Middle Eastern brand.

Shredded coconut - unsweetened: Coconut gives a chewy texture and a nutty flavor to this dessert.

Tahini: This is just to grease the pan to prohibit the cake from sticking. You only need a small amount to coat the entire pan.

Plain yogurt: The yogurt holds the batter together and gives it a bit of tanginess taste.

Milk: I like to use whole milk; the milk and yogurt make the batter more liquidy which in return makes the harissa softer and fluffier.

Granulated sugar: You will need granulated sugar for the batter and the sugar syrup.

Blanched almonds: Almonds are used for decorations and to add an extra crunchy taste to harissa. You can easily peel them by soaking dried almonds in hot water for a few minutes, the skin will come off easily.

Lemon juice and zest: A very small amount of juice is needed for the sugar syrup, but I also like to add the zest in both the Harrisa and the syrup. The lemon zest just adds a delightful flavor that combines well with the sweetness that is coming from the sugar syrup and the coconut.

Unsalted melted butter: I use a small amount of butter to rub the top of the Harrisa, halfway through baking.

Step by Step Instructions

Substitutions

• Switch almonds with walnuts - you can decorate this harissa recipe with walnut halves instead of almonds.
• Use orange blossom syrup aka orange blossom water, or rose water instead of lemon zest with sugar syrup.
• You can make this recipe vegan by substituting milk, yogurt, and butter for any plant-based dairy.
• You can use a 9x13 Pyrex baking sheet instead of the bakeware.

Pro-Tips

• Make sure that the cool syrup is poured over the hot cake. This process helps to absorb the simple sugar syrup. If both are cooled off the sugar syrup will be sitting on the top of the cake.
• The combination of the milk and yogurt makes the batter so liquidy and hard to cut prior to baking. Therefore, it’s best to bring the cake out of the oven halfway through baking, cut it into shapes, and rub butter, then place it back in the oven for the rest of the baking time. Cutting harissa helps the sugar syrup to get into the cake and get fully absorbed.
• You may need to re-cut the slices after baking and once served.

Storage

• Harissa can stay in the bakeware pan covered with foil or plastic wrap paper for up to 2 days, then in an airtight container in the fridge for another five days.
• You can freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight container or wrap it well in a plastic wrapper in a zip bag.
• You can serve warm harissa, and also a room temperature.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use coarse semolina flour and not Farina?

Yes, you can, but the texture might taste a little different.

Is harissa/namoura gluten free?

No, because semolina/farina is made from durum wheat which contains gluten. So this recipe is not gluten-free.

Can I skip any of the ingredients?

Yes, you can. You can skip shredded coconut, lemon zest, or rose or blossom water. But the rest of the ingredients are essential to make this recipe.

I’d love it if you can rate this recipe and leave a comment below, I also would love to hear about your experience making it. If you made this recipe, snap a picture and tag me on Instagram or Facebook.

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