Şambali is the best known of the İzmir street desserts and surprisingly easy to make. The critical point is the balance of temperature between dessert and syrup: the dessert hot, the syrup warm. If both are cold the syrup is not absorbed and pools on the surface. Do not over-mix the batter; the semolina meets the yoghurt and binds by itself.
Ingredients
For the dough
For the syrup
For the top
Method
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Make the syrup
Boil the sugar and water for 12 minutes, add the lemon juice and take off the heat. You want it warm, not ice cold.
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Mix the batter
Stir the semolina, yoghurt, oil, sugar, baking powder and vanilla together with a spoon. Do not beat.
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Rest
Leave for 20 minutes so the semolina takes up the liquid; the batter will thicken.
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Into the tray
Spread in a greased medium tray and level it; 2 centimetres thick is ideal.
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Cut
Cut into diamonds before baking and press an almond into the centre of each.
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Bake
Bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 35 minutes, until the top colours.
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Add the syrup
Spoon the warm syrup over the moment it leaves the oven.
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Rest
Leave uncovered for 40 minutes to take up the syrup completely.
Tips
- Do not pour the syrup straight from the fridge; warm syrup works into a hot dessert far better.
- Cut before baking, as baked şambali falls apart when cut.
- Do not beat the batter with a mixer, a spoon is enough. Over-beaten semolina batter turns hard.
Nutrition
Values are per serving and approximate.