Ingredients Print

Check off ingredients as you go

For a 20 cm (8-inch) square pan

• 5 large eggs
• 100 g (½ cup) light brown sugar
• 120 g (1¼ cups) almond flour
• 150 g (scant 1 cup) fine semolina
• 120 ml (½ cup) neutral oil (sunflower)
• 2 tsp baking powder (10 g)
• zest of 1 orange (optional)
• 2 Tbsp orange blossom water
• 1 capful (about 1 tsp) bitter almond extract (optional)

For the honey syrup

• 1 Tbsp honey
• 200 g (1 cup) light brown sugar
• 200 ml (¾ cup + 1 Tbsp) water
• a dash of orange blossom water or lemon juice

For the topping

• chopped unsalted pistachios or almonds

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

Making the Tunisian harissa cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) fan/convection. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then add the sugar, fine semolina, almond flour, oil, baking powder, zest and flavorings. Mix until you have a smooth batter, then pour into the pan. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 20 minutes (check with a toothpick: it should come out clean).

2. Making the syrup In a saucepan, pour in the water, sugar, honey and the orange blossom water or lemon juice, and let the sugar dissolve, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon. Once it has thickened (it takes about 10 minutes), keep it over very low heat so you can pour it over the harissa while it’s still warm.

3. Take the harissa out of the oven, cut it into squares or diamonds right in the pan, then pour the syrup over the whole surface of the cake before sprinkling with chopped pistachios or almonds.

Tips and variations

• Swap the chopped pistachios or almonds for whole almonds, pressing one into each square before baking.