Jujey's Basbousa!

JUJEY'S BASBOUSA

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups semolina flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup plain yogurt (or 1 cup of whole milk)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 eggs
Honey glaze (recipe follows)
Blanched sliced almonds for garnish (I used chopped up pecans)

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, combine the semolina and baking soda. Set to the side.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar; once fluffy, add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating until incorporated.
• Add the semolina and baking soda mixture bit by bit, stirring well after each addition. Once incorporated, add the yogurt (or milk) bit by bit, stirring after each addition until fully incorporated. The batter will be very thick.
• Spoon the batter into the greased baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Top with nuts
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden around the edges.
• While baking, prepare the honey glaze. Once the basbousa has come out of the oven, cut into squares and pour the glaze directly on to the still-hot cake, being sure to cover it uniformly.
• The glaze will sink into the cake, but the top should be slightly sticky.

Honey Glaze

2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cup water
2 tablespoon honey
1 generous squeeze of lemon juice (or, 1 teaspoon lemon juice)

•  Heat sugar, water, and honey over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar is fully dissolved.
• Let the mixture simmer for about five minutes; once it has reduced to a maple syrup sort of thickness, add the lemon juice