Basbousa (Middle Eastern Semolina Cake)

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1. 1Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prep your 9x13 baking dish by brushing the bottom and edges of the pan with the tahini paste.
2. 2Step 2: In a bowl, mix the yogurt, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda together. Set that to the side. You will notice the yogurt slightly bubble and rise.
3. 3Step 3: In another bowl, stir together the semolina with the melted butter until it begins to come together. At this point, fold in the coconut powder as well.
4. 4Step 4: Add the yogurt mixture into the semolina mixture and combine the two well. To this, add the milk. Mix until a cohesive batter comes together.
5. 5Step 5: Add the batter into the prepped baking pan spreading it out evenly. Tap the baking pan against a surface to release any air bubbles that may be in the batter before baking.
6. 6Step 6: The batter is thick enough to cut into pre baking. Cut into even squares or diamonds in the size of your preference. I got approx. 24 pieces out of my pan.
7. 7Step 7: Add a whole almond to the center of each piece just tapping it gently into the batter. You can also add a sprinkle of coconut powder over the top of the batter if you would like before baking.
8. 8Step 8: Bake uncovered in the oven for 25-30 min on the bottom rack until the edges start to brown. Then, move the pan to the top rack for another 5-10 minutes so the whole cake gets a beautiful light brown color.
9. 9Step 9: While the cake bakes, prepare the simple syrup by stirring together the sugar and water until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let this simmer for about 8 minutes until it thickens and add a squeeze of lemon at the end.
10. 10Step 10: Once the cake is out of the oven, re-inforce the previously cut lines by going over it again with a sharp knife. Then, pour the warm syrup all over the top of the semolina cake. The cake especially when warm will soak it up.
11. 11Step 11: Allow for the cake to cool completely for at least an hour before taking the slices out or you can risk it crumbling. You also want the cake to absorb all of the syrup. Enjoy a slice with a cup of tea or coffee!