Helba/Helbeh (Fenugreek Cake)

Описание: Helba/Helbeh (Fenugreek Cake)

Serving Size: 16 Pieces (2 piece/Person)

Time Required:
• Time for Preparation: 50 Mins.
• Soaking Time (Fenugreek Seeds and Almonds): 4 Hours or
Overnight
• Dough Resting Time: 1 ½ Hours
• Baking Time: 60 Mins. (10 Mins. Preheating the Oven)
• Sugar Syrup Soaking Time: 5 Mins.
• Total Time: 3 Hours 25 Mins. (excluding soaking time)

Ingredients

For Cake batter
• 3 Cups Fine Semolina (Sooji)
• ½ Cup White Flour
• ½ Cup Oil (¼ Cup Olive Oil + ¼ Cup Canola Oil)
• ¼ Cup Fenugreek Seeds
• 2 ½ Cups Water (For boiling the Fenugreek Seeds)
• 2 Tsp Instant Dry Yeast
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• ¼ Tsp Salt
• ½ Tsp Cinnamon Powder
• 1 Tbsp Nigella Seeds
• 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
• Butter for greasing the Baking dish
• Whole Peeled Almonds for garnishing (as needed)

For Sugar Syrup
• 2 Cups Sugar
• 1 ½ Cups Water




Method of Preparation
• Soak the Fenugreek Seeds in enough cold water for 4 hours. Or overnight.
• Soak the Almonds in enough water for 4 hours or overnight.
• Discard the water from Almonds and peel off the skin of Almonds. Set aside for later use for decorating.
• Drain the Fenugreek seeds and dispose off the water.
• Transfer the Seeds in a saucepan and cover with 2 ½ cups of water.
• Put the saucepan over high heat and bring it to a boil.
• Then reduce the heat and cook until the seeds are soft and slightly puffed.
• Now drain the seeds and reserve about 1 ½ cups of water for mixing later into the batter. Allow the fenugreek seeds water to cool down before using it.
• The seeds should be soft to touch and could be mashed with fingers.
• In a bowl add Semolina and white flour, give it a good mix.
• Add Olive oil and canola oil and combine thoroughly into flour mixture.
• Add the boiled Fenugreek Seeds.
• Add Baking powder, Instant dry yeast, Salt, Nigella Seeds, Sesame Seeds and Cinnamon powder.
• Combine everything properly and gradually add the reserved Fenugreek seed’s water.
• Pull together the batter into a dough like shape. Don't overmix and don't knead.
• Cover and keep the batter in a warm place to rise for around 1 hour.
• Take an ovenproof baking dish and grease it properly with butter.
• After one hour the batter rises and feels soft to touch.
• Spread the batter evenly in the dish using fingers and palm of your hand to flatten it.
• Cut the batter with a sharp knife to form diamond shape pieces. You can cut in any shape you like.
• Place the peeled Almonds in the center of each piece.
• Again cover and keep in a warm place to rise for about ½ hour.
• Preheat the oven at 180°C for 10 Mins.
• After ½ hour place the baking dish into the oven at 180°C for 45 Mins.
• Bake until the cake is light beautifully browned from below and above.
• Broil the cake for 5 Mins. To give a brownish colour above. Taking care not to burn it.
• If the cake is getting brown fast then cover it loosely with a foil paper.
• Meanwhile the cake is in the oven, prepare the sugar syrup.
• Pour 1 ½ cups water and add sugar into a small saucepan.
• Bring it to a boil until the sugar dissolves. Then lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 Mins. Allow the sugar syrup to cool down. The sugar syrup should be watery so that it soaks better into the cake.
• Take the cake out of the oven and immediately pour the cooled syrup on the hot cake.
• Allow the cake to soak the sugar syrup for atleast 5 Mins.
• And its Ready to serve.