Kalb El Louz / Qalb Alouz (Heart of Almonds)

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Cake Batter:

• 4 cups of large grain semolina
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cooled but melted butter or ghee and or canola oil or a mixture of which ever ones you prefer
• 1/4 cup of orange flower water
• pinch of salt

Almond Filling:

• 2 cups of ground almonds
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 2tbs orange blossom water

Mix all ingredients together using a food processor and set aside.

Medium Simple Syrup:

• 6 cups of water
• 3 cups of sugar
• 1/4 cup of orange flower water
• 1/4 cup of butter (optional)
• juice from one small lemon (optional)

Bring the water and sugar to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes, until the water has condensed to just over half of what you have started off with.

Add the orange blossom water and set aside. If you are using the lemon and butter add it as well. Putting the syrup in the fridge or freezer works great to help your hot cake absorb the syrup.

Decoration:

• split blanched almonds

Toast semolina as if making tamina. Let the semolina cool then whisk in the sugar and salt. Next gently work in the room temperature melted butter (or whatever fat content you have choosen), making sure all the grains are coated well. Add the orange flower water making sure to not overwork your dough. The dough shouldn't be really wet, it is the consistency of wet sand.

Let the dough sit for as long as you can, overnight preferable but atleast fifteen minutes.

Afterwards split the dough into two, and press one half of dough into your buttered dish using your hands or the back of a spoon, but not packing it, just evening it out.

Spoon the almond filling onto the first layer of dough and spread evenly.

Cover the almond mixture with the second half of the dough and gently even it out. Cut half way into the cake marking your individual pieces.

Press half of an almond onto each peice of cake for decoration (optional). You can brush butter or ghee onto the cake.

Bake at 400 until golden brown, 40 minutes to one hour. If you would like a darker red color put it under the broiler.

Take the cake out of the oven and slowly pour the syrup onto the cake.

Turn off your oven and place your cake back into the oven for another ten to fifteen mintues.

Laddle onto your cake more syrup of desired.

Let the cake relax overnight... if you can be patient.

Serve with mint tea or coffee.

Enjoy!