Almond Ravani (syrupy cake)
- by XpatAthens
- Friday, 20 February 2015
Ravani, the syrupy semolina cake, is one of my favourite desserts, especially when it is made with coconut. Since however coconut is not to everyone’s liking, I decided to re-work my favourite recipe, by taking the coconut out and adding loads of ground almonds and whole pine nuts instead. I also flavoured it with some orange zest and got a yummy, new dessert! I served it slightly chilled with a scoop of home-made kaimaki ice cream on the side.
Ingredients
• 350g fine semolina
• 250g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 250ml whole milk
• 200g sugar
• 120g ground blanched almonds
• 100g pine nuts
• 50g all purpose flour
• grated zest from 1 orange
• 4 eggs
• 3 tsp baking powder
Syrup
• 400g sugar
• 360ml water
• 20ml (1 tbsp) orange blossom water (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. First make the syrup by boiling all the ingredients together for 3-4 minutes. Let it cool.
2. In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients: semolina, flour, powdered almonds, pine nuts and baking powder.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 180 οC.
4. Beat the butter with the sugar until white and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs and the orange zest, beat until fully incorporated and stop beating.
5. Stir in the dry ingredients until they have been fully incorporated.
6. Butter a rectangular baking tray measuring 35×23 cm and fill with the mix.
7. Bake for about 45 minutes or a until it has turned a golden brown colour. When you remove from the oven cut into pieces with a knife and pour over the syrup.
8. Let the Ravani stand for at least a few hours before serving so that it will absorb the syrup.
Source: Foodjunkie.eu