Sakura Honey Basbousa

Sakura in Japanese means cherry blossom where the Japanese celebrate the blossoming of these delicate flowers during their spring festival.  Similar to Spring (my favourite season of the year), sakura symbolizes life, beauty and new growth. Which may segue to the question of my absence to blogging.......
 
 Let me introduce you to the latest member of family Shanks...HBurger!!
A new little sister for MiniB and my excuse for the lack of my blog presence.  Granted HBurger is nearing 11months now and looks so much cuter than this pic shows, but anyone with young kids will know...they're hard work.   My late nights staying up to blog have been replaced with much needed catch-up sleep.  But it's all worth it and now that we're in some sort of routine, I look forward to get my blogging mojo back.

To help celebrate Spring in Australia, Sophie from Nihon Ichiban has provided samples of Sakura products made in Japan.  Like many other Japanese products/craft, I found it ingenious that the they have found a way to create food products from this ever popular flora.  I tried the Sakura Honey Syrup which is gorgeously light and fragrant similar to rose water, and led me to combine it with a middle-eastern classic sweet.  The dish may not reflect on the sakura's beauty, but it sure backs it up with taste!!

Till next time ... we eat!!

Shanks


Sakura Honey Basbousa

2 1/2 cups semolina
1/2 cup self raising flour
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup of vanilla yoghurt
200g unsalted butter, melted
25-30 blanched whole almonds
200g caster sugar
Extra butter to grease the tin

SYRUP
2 tablespoon Sakura Honey syrup (or honey)
1 cup white sugar
250ml water
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Sakura Honey Syrup to drizzle
 Note: if honey substituted, use 1 table spoon of honey and 1 teaspoon of rose water.

• Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celcius
•  Use a small amount of butter to grease the tin.  Cooking spray can also be used.
•  Mix together semolina, coconut, sugar, flour
•  Add and mix in yoghurt, vanilla extract and melted butter to the dry mixture
•  Use your hands to spread the mixture into the tin evenly
•  Cut diagonal lines across the mixture to form diamond shapes
•  Place 1 almond in the centre of each diamond
•  Bake for 35-40mins or until golden brown

•  Place sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil
•  Stir the mixture until all the sugar disolves
•  Simmer for 5mins without stirring
•  Add lemon juice and stir
•  Add Sakura honey syrup and stir
•  Leave mixture to cool for 2mins
•  When the cake is ready pour the sugar mixture onto the hot cake
•  Allow to stand for 5mins for the syrup to soak into the cake
• Drizzle extra Sakura honey syrup over the cake and serve

 

 Sakura sample products were supplied to Yaya's Yum Yums by Sophie of Nihon Ichiban.
For more Sakura products check out their website.