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Ottolenghi Pistachio and Rosewater Semolina Cake

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This Ottolenghi Pistachio and Rosewater Semolina Cake is a fragrant, nutty, and moist dessert with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences. The semolina gives it a unique texture, while pistachios, almonds, cardamom, lemon, and rosewater create layers of aromatic flavor, finished with a sweet floral syrup.

  • Author: Sophia
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 55–60 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes (plus cooling)
  • Yield: 12 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern, Mediterranean
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • For the cake:
  • 6–8 cardamom pods
  • 120g shelled pistachios (plus extra for decoration)
  • 150g ground almonds
  • 120g semolina
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 225g salted butter (or unsalted with 1/4 tsp salt), softened
  • 250g caster sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp rose water
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • For the cream:
  • 150g Greek yogurt
  • 150g crème fraîche
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1/2 tsp rose water (optional)
  • For the syrup:
  • 60ml lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp rose water
  • 80g caster sugar
  • For the rose petals (optional):
  • 1 egg white
  • Fresh rose petals
  • 2–3 tbsp caster sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan). Grease and line a 23 cm springform cake tin.
  2. Crush cardamom pods, extract seeds, and blend with pistachios until finely ground. Mix with ground almonds, semolina, and baking powder.
  3. Cream butter and sugar until pale. Gradually add whisked eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl.
  4. Fold in dry mixture, then add lemon zest, lemon juice, rosewater, and vanilla. Mix until just combined.
  5. Pour batter into tin, smooth top, and bake 55–60 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean but oily and crust is golden.
  6. Meanwhile, prepare syrup: heat lemon juice, rose water, and sugar in a pan until dissolved. Keep warm.
  7. While cake is still warm, poke holes on top and drizzle with syrup. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Cool before removing from tin.
  8. For the cream, whisk yogurt, crème fraîche, icing sugar, and rose water until smooth.
  9. (Optional) For crystallized petals, brush petals with egg white, dip in sugar, and bake at 100ºC for 20 minutes until crisp.
  10. Decorate cake with petals and serve with cream.

Notes

  • Reduce rosewater for a milder flavor, or substitute orange blossom water.
  • Blend pistachios with almonds if pistachios are costly.
  • The crystallized rose petals are optional—chopped pistachios alone make a striking finish.
  • Cake tastes better the next day after resting with syrup.
  • Keep cream separate and add just before serving.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://savorymomskitchen.com/ottolenghi-pistachio-and-rosewater-semolina-cake/