Category: Desserts

Egyptian desserts are a rich tapestry of flavors and textures.

Featuring iconic treats like Om Ali (Egyptian bread pudding), basbousa (semolina cake soaked in syrup), Saad Al Hanak (honey truffle candies), Egyptian desserts are often  infused with fragrant ingredients like rose water and orange blossom.

These sweets reflect the country’s vibrant culinary heritage and take center stage during celebrations and family gatherings.

The Savarin/Baba Cake Recipe

.Reading time 11 minutes.

My childhood gateau de Savarin, as I knew it growing up in Egypt, was a syrupy and airy yeast individual cake, horizontally split in half to encase juicy and fresh seasonal fruits and a mound of fluffy and tangy whipped crème fraîche.  Traditionally, Savarin should be soaked in a simple syrup mixed with Rum.  Yet, for religious reasons, only the non-alcoholic version was found at Egyptian bakeries.

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Balah El Sham: First Lesson of Coexsistence

.Reading time 6 minutes.

Balah El Sham that translates into “Dates of Damascus” is the Middle Eastern version of the Spanish Churro.  It is fried fluted fingers drenched in fragrant simple syrup.  One of several evocative delicacies, Balah El Sham is particularly prepared during the month of Ramadan, which is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting.

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Kunafeh/Kataifi- Fruit Tart: The Ultimate Hostess

.Reading time 8 minutes.

This recipe is inspired by my grandma’s signature recipe of “Kunafe”. According to several generations of my family, my grandma was the ultimate gracious hostess.  She always went out of her way to please her guests either the remote acquaintances or her close relatives. Neither the advanced age nor her fading eyesight affected the frequency […]

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