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Hilbeh
Hilbeh: Jordanian and Palestinian fenugreek and semolina cake soaked in orange-blossom syrup
Hilbeh is the tray cake Jordanian grandmothers bake in winter and for visits after childbirth, when fenugreek is believed to warm and strengthen. Soaked fenugreek seeds swell into soft, jelly-coated beads that dot a dense semolina crumb, giving a gently bitter, maple-like scent that the hot syrup softens. Cut into diamonds, each topped with an almond, it sits on the coffee table beside Arabic coffee from Irbid to Aqaba. The mistake people make is using the seeds dry: they stay hard and bitter, so boil and soak them first. Chef's tip: pour cold syrup over the cake the moment it leaves the oven; hot-on-cold soaks in evenly and keeps the top from going soggy.
- Total time
- 75 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the syrup
- 10 ½ oz sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp orange blossom water
For the fenugreek
- 2 tbsp fenugreek seeds
- 2 cups waterfor boiling the seeds
For the cake
- 10 ½ oz coarse semolina
- 3 ½ oz plain flour
- 2 ⅞ oz sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp instant dried yeast
- 1 tsp ground aniseed
- ¾ cup sunflower oilplus 1 tbsp for the tin
- ¾ cup warm water
- 1 tbsp tahinifor greasing the tin
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Make the syrup: boil 10 ½ oz sugar and ¾ cup water in a small pan over a medium heat for 8 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp orange blossom water, then cool completely.
10 minStep 2: Boil 2 tbsp fenugreek seeds in 2 cups water for 10 minutes, then drain, cover with fresh cold water and leave for 15 minutes. The seeds should be swollen, soft when bitten and coated in a clear jelly. Drain well.
25 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan). Brush a 25 × 30 cm tin with 1 tbsp tahini.
Step 4: In a large bowl, mix 10 ½ oz coarse semolina, 3 ½ oz plain flour, 2 ⅞ oz sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp instant dried yeast and 1 tsp ground aniseed. Pour in ¾ cup sunflower oil and rub it in with your fingertips until every grain is coated and the mix looks like damp sand.
5 minStep 5: Stir in the drained fenugreek, then add ¾ cup warm water and mix into a thick, spreadable batter. Spread it in the tin, smooth the top with wet hands and leave for 15 minutes so the semolina swells.
15 minStep 6: Cut diamonds through the raw batter with an oiled knife and press an 16 blanched almonds into the centre of each.
Step 7: Bake for 35–40 minutes, until deep golden on top and pulling away from the sides of the tin.
40 minStep 8: Straight from the oven, ladle the cold syrup evenly over the hot cake; it will sizzle. Leave for at least 1 hour to soak and cool, then recut the diamonds. Keeps 4 days in an airtight tin.
60 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hilbeh take?
- About 75 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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