This is a very typical, and very sweet, Cypriot cake. You can leave out the rosewater and make a plain syrup-drenched cake, or add lemon juice, vanilla extract or orange blossom water to the syrup. Serves 20.
Ingredients:
125 g butter, softened
230 g caster (superfine) sugar
250 g natural yoghurt (not too thick or thin)
1 tablespoon rosewater
3 eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
125 g plain (all-purpose) flour
125 g fine semolina
2 teaspoons baking powder
55 g ground almonds
Rosewater syrup
230 g caster (superfine) sugar
1 teaspoon rosewater
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). Grease and flour a 22 cm square cake tin.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl with electric beaters. Whisk in the yoghurt, rosewater, egg yolks and lime zest.
3. Sift in the flour, semolina and baking powder and mix well to incorporate. Mix in the ground almonds.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are white, fluffy and just making soft peaks. Carefully fold these into the mixture so that they are well incorporated.
5. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the cake is deep golden and cooked through. Leave to cool while making the syrup.
6. To make the syrup, put the sugar, rosewater and 250 ml (1 cup) of water in a small saucepan and boil for about 5 minutes.
7. Pour the hot syrup over the cake and leave it to cool completely. To serve, cut the cake into small pieces and serve with a not-too-sweet ice cream.