Harissa dessert is a term referring to a variety of semolina cakes in the Middle East. Aside from Basbousa, this is a recipe for Egyptian Harissa dessert that is so decadent and sweet. A fool proof recipe that is a winner every time.
Table of contents
❓Why This Recipe Works
There are so many versions of Harissa in the Middle East, in Egypt alone there are about 3 or 4 versions depending on the governorate you are living in.
This recipe is easy to master and sure to please, no special tricks but in the end I will show you how to tweak it even more according to your audience. This harissa dessert feeds a crowd, can be made ahead, refrigerated and frozen.
📝 Recipe Ingredients
📋 Ingredient Notes
- For this recipe I chose to use semolina for its fine granules and to make it more like a cake. This actually helped my harissa to be softer, you can use farina as well for a more coarse and harder harissa.
- It is better to use ghee in this recipe but you can also use butter.
- I use two types of fine shredded coconut, sweetened and unsweetened. You are welcome to use any coconut you like. Some people use fine shredded for the dough and coconut large flakes for the filling though.
- Use any nut or nut combination you like, hazelnuts are the common.
🥄 Recipe Instructions
- In a large light colored pot place sugar and shake the pan to make it in single layer.
- On medium heat caramelize the sugar until amber golden.
- Pour in hot milk and keep stirring.
- Return to medium-low heat until everything gets melted with no visible lumps.
- In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients.
- Add butter and honey to the caramelized sugar and mix.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the caramelized suagr mixture until it forms a dough.
- In a medium bowl combine the filling ingredients.
- Spread half of the harissa dough into the bottom and sides of a prepared pan.
- Spread the filling mixture evenly.
- Top that with the remaining dough. Sprinkle more nuts on top and press lightly then bake in the oven until top is golden brown. Pour warm syrup over and let it soak for an hour before serving.
💡 Recipe Expert Tips
- It is better to use a light colored pan so you will not burn the sugar especially if you are a beginner. It is also better to use a wide or bigger pan because the mixture will splatter when adding milk.
- Unlike basbousa, harissa needs to be hot while the syrup is warm and not boiling hot. So start making the syrup when you put the harissa in the oven so it will have around 10 to 15 minutes to cool off a bit.
💬 Variations
- Some people prefer harissa harder. To do so use coarse semolina (farina) and you may also want to decrease the ghee to 3/4 cup instead of a full cup.
- In some parts of Egypt as well the filling does not have semolina and instead they use a full cup of sweetened coconut or even more in the filling along with the raisins and nuts.
- Garnishing the Harissa with hazelnuts and candied cherries is also common
📣 More Recipes From the Blog
Egyptian Harissa Dessert
A tall decadent semolina cake stuffed with a mixture of shredded coconut, raisins and hazelnuts. A special dessert that feeds a crowd.
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Servings: 24 pieces
Calories: 366kcal
Ingredients
For the Harissa mixture:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup hot milk
- 3 1/3 cups semolina 500 g
- 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 cup unsweetened fine shredded coconut
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup ghee/butter
- 2 Tablespoons honey
Stuffing:
- 1/2 cup semolina
- 1/2 cup sweetened fine shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 cup hazelnut or any nut you like
- 4 Tablespoons honey
Sugar syrup:
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons honey
Optional:
- Crushed hazelnut for garnishing
Instructions
Make the Harissa batter:
- In a heavy bottom, light colored pan, sprinkle sugar in an even layer and turn heat to medium.
- When you notice that the sugar starts melting around the edges lower the heat and stir lightly to mix sugar so it will melt evenly.
- When the sugar caramelize, remove from heat and carefully and gradually pour the hot milk while stirring.
- You will notice the mixture is bubbling and rising so keep your distance until it calms down a bit. Also you will notice that the sugar will clump but do not freak out this is normal. Return to very low heat and stir to dissolve sugar clumps.
- When it has dissolved remove from heat, mix in butter and honey then set aside to cool down a bit.
- In a separate bowl, add semolina, all purpose flour, baking powder and coconut then mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the caramel mix, do not over mix.
- Divide the mixture in two halves.
Make the filling:
- In a medium bowl mix all the filling ingredients together.
Assemble the cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350F
- Brush a 10in round aluminum pan with butter then spread half the mixture on the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Add the filling and level.
- Wet your hands with some water and spread the remaining harissa mixture on top.
- Sprinkle crushed hazelnuts on top and press lightly with your hands.
- Bake in the oven until top is golden.
Make the syrup:
- In a sauce pan add sugar, water and honey.
- Stir for 10 seconds then turn heat on and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat and set aside.
- When the harissa is done pour the warm syrup over and let it rest and cool down at least an hour before cutting and serving.
Notes
- Be extremely cautious when caramelizing the sugar. I advice you to use light colored pan, a spatula with long handle and stay close by and attentive to your pan.
- Keep a large pan of iced water nearby just in case anything got out of control and the caramel splattered.
- It is very helpful to use a large pan to minimize splattering as well.
- Your milk needs to be hot and not cold or room temperature. I microwave mine for a minute full power before I use it in the caramel.
- Sometimes the milk curdle when added to the caramelized sugar, honestly this is not important in our case as we are not making a silky smooth caramel to use on top of ice cream or something.
- Do not overmix the harissa mixture as this will cause the harissa to be hard and not soft.
- Unlike basbousa, harissa needs to be hot while the syrup is warm and not boiling hot. So start making the syrup when you put the harissa in the oven so it will have around 10 to 15 minutes to cool off a bit.
- Variations:
- Some people like their harissa hard. To do so use coarse semolina (farina) and you may also want to decrease the ghee to 3/4 cup instead of a full cup.
- In some parts of Egypt as well the filling does not have semolina and instead they use a full cup of sweetened coconut or even more in the filling along with the raisins and nuts.
- Garnishing the Harissa with hazelnuts and candied cherries is also a common variation in some parts of Egypt.
- Please check the nutrition disclaimer policy.
Nutrition
Calories: 366kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 120mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 33g | Vitamin A: 356IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
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First published Apr 27, 2013. Last updated March 13, 2021 with new recipe, important tips, clear step by step instructions and readability.
John / Kitchen Riffs
This looks great! I know harissa the sauce, but not the dessert. Always fun to learn new recipes, particularly ones as good as this. Thanks!
Madeleine
Hi, Amira you have given me great recipes, but I wanted the Harissa recipe without the coconut, As a child living in Alexandria I recal my dad coming home in the morning after a night working shift with the warm Harissa and I cannot wait to have this recipe. I have lived in Australia for the last sixty years and tried ever so many recipes, but not one came close. Would you be able to have or get one authentic one for me please. Madie
Amira
Madie, nothing is more pleasurable to the soul - and tummy- than food with sweet memories. I always like to relive my childhood memories through food 🙂 seriously it gives us - expats- great pleasure, so I can totally relate to what you are saying. Unfortunately, I am from Cairo itself (Qahereya) and this recipe for Harrisa came with the instructions of a friend here who was dying to have it until I was finally able to make his dream come true :). If you can give me more details, I might try to look it up and we can keep trying together until we reach a recipe that will fulfill your Harissa sickness :))... How about that? can you tell me which part of Alex you used to live in? may be I can look it up by region.
Madeleine
Hi Amira, Thank you ever so much for your prompt response. I unfortunately do not have any living relative to tell me where they purchased the Harissa in Alexandria. We lived in Cleopatra near the sporting club( horse racing) and I would say that dad bought it from around the city area, but I know that it was the very popular place that made it and the Boughatsa, a fine party filled a kind of semolina custard and dredged with icing sugar and that was also served hot. I do wish I could help you a lot more, but that is all I can give you. My husband is Irish and , I constantly cook Egyptian food which he and my sons absolutely love.
Thank you for your help and perhaps we may be lucky in finding the Ggreat Recipe.
Madeleine
Amira
Madeleine,
I will definitely ask my friends here and will try to look it up on the internet as well. You know there are so many kinds of Harissa, the Syrian one that looks more like Egyptian basbousa. My dad is from Damietta and they have a totally different one there made from semolina as well!!! I hope I will find the perfect recipe for you. Might take a while but stay tuned 🙂
Maryam
There are speciality Harissa shops all is ver Alexandria, you can also purchase it in ant patisserie. I just brought half a kilo home to Scotland after visiting my family in Alex. Yummmmmmy. Do make it but much easier to buy it. Lol
Amira
I wish we have such shops here in US, wouldn't it be awesome :). Thanks Maryam, I will try to buy some on my next trip to Egypt too...
Charles
Gosh, I've never heard of this kind of harissa. I too only know the chilli variety (by the way, I use Antillean Habanero chillis to make mine... not really traditional, but it gives a fantastic fruity flavour! Really recommend it in case you try it).
This sweet harissa looks incredible (although quite sweet I guess... I think maybe one doesn't need to eat so much at once!). Would be perfect with a nice cup of tea 🙂
Sue | My Korean Kitchen
Well congrats on making the first ever Alexandrian Harissa! I'm very new to Egyptian food but I would love try it.
Denise Browning@From Brazil To You
Beautiful images from Alexandria and delicious harissa!!!