Name: Greek Semolina and Olive Oil Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 300 g Banshi semolina; 180 ml cold-pressed sesame oil, or mild olive oil; 200 g caster sugar, for the batter; 250 g plain yoghurt; 3 eggs; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 300 g and 300 ml sugar and water, for the syrup; 1 lemon, zest and a squeeze of juice; 2 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds, to finish

Before you cook

The rule that decides this cake is temperature: cold syrup onto hot cake, or hot syrup onto cold cake, never hot onto hot.

Resting the batter lets the semolina hydrate, which is the difference between tender and gritty.

Method

Boil the syrup sugar, water and lemon juice five minutes, then cool completely.
Whisk eggs and caster sugar until pale, thick and clearly increased in volume.
Pour in the oil slowly while whisking so the mixture stays emulsified.
Fold in the yoghurt and lemon zest with a spatula, not a whisk.
Combine semolina and baking powder, then fold through in two additions.
Rest the batter twenty minutes so the semolina absorbs moisture and swells.
Bake at 175C for forty-five minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
Pour the cold syrup over the hot cake the moment it leaves the oven.
Leave it to drink the syrup for at least two hours before cutting.
Scatter roasted sesame over the top and cut into diamonds to serve.

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