Halvas Fourno

Greek semolina cake. I haven't made this as yet. Posting for Zaar World Tour 2006.

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 2  tablespoons lemon juice
• 3  cups water
• 4  ounces butter, room temperature
• 3⁄4 cup caster sugar (or superfine sugar)
• 2  teaspoons lemon rind, finely grated
• 3  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups semolina
• 1  cup self-raising flour
• 1⁄2 cup milk
• 1⁄2 cup  blanched almond, toasted and finely chopped
•  blanched almond, flaked (to decorate)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 12 x 8 cake tin.
2. In a saucepan, dissolve the sugar in the water over high heat. Add the lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to cool.
3. While the syrup is cooking, cream the butter, sugar and lemon rind with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift together the semolina and flour and then fold into the butter mixture alternately with the milk. Mix in the chopped almonds.
5. Spread the mixture in the cake tin and arrange rows of flaked almonds on top.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is golden and shrinks slightly from the sides of the tin.
7. Prick the surface with a fine skewer and then pour the cooled syrup over the hot cake.
8. When the cake is cool, cut into squares or diamonds.