Harisseh (Middle Eastern Sweets)

4 Reviews

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Ready In: 1 hr 40 min

“My Auntie shared this recipe with me. When I first had a look at the ingredients I wondered how such a strange combination of ingredients would taste. It turned out beautifully sweet!” - by LadyS

Adjust Servings

Adjust

Metric US

Original recipe yields 25 pieces

Directions

Stir together semolina, baking powder, 2 cups of sugar, and chopped almonds until evenly blended. Stir in yogurt, vegetable oil, and rose water until a soft dough forms. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, and allow to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Press the dough into a 9x9 inch square baking dish, and smooth the top. Score the top of the dough to create 25 squares, then top each square with an almond half.
Bake in preheated oven until the top has puffed and turned golden brown, about 20 minutes. The harisseh is done when the top is golden, and the center has firmed. When done, remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
While the harisseh is cooling, pour water and 2 cups of sugar into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of rose water, and lemon juice, then remove from the heat.
To serve, cut the warm harisseh into 25 squares, and place onto a large serving platter; pour the rose water syrup over, making sure all of the pieces are moist.

Nutrition

Amount Per Serving (25 total)

Calories
162 cal
8%

Fat
6.1 g
9%

Carbs
25.9 g
8%

Based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Reviews (4)

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Carol

Sep. 16, 2008

"This is the recipe I grew up on... My mother used to do it all the time and i was searching for the recipe... Thanks By the way, I have used dark brown sugar instead of white... Tastes better..." See more"

Shafiqa

Feb. 19, 2009

"Thank you so much for posting this recipe! We've been trying to make Harisseh at home for a while but it kept coming out hard and we weren't sure how to fix it. I tried this recipe and followed the i..." See morenstructions (didn't use almonds in the dough as we didn't have any chopped ones on hand) and it came out wonderfully. The sugar syrup was too sweet for me, but the harisseh was tasty even without it. I will definitely be making this again! "

Ceceanne

Apr. 22, 2009

"Not very tasty, but also not sure what it should taste like. I followed the exact recipe, but it came out crumbly and just the flavor of Rose...." See more"

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