Şambali

Şambali (Turkish Semolina Yogurt Cake)

A traditional Turkish dessert from the Gaziantep region, Şambali is a moist, dense semolina cake soaked in a light lemon syrup. The yogurt gives it a subtle tang that balances the sweetness, and the syrup is kept thin so it soaks in rather than pooling.

Prep

15 min

Cook

40 min

Total

55 min

Serves

8

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (8½ oz / 1½ cups) semolina, fine semolina (not coarse); coarse is traditional but needs longer soaking
• •200 g (1 cup) plain yogurt, full-fat, room temperature
• •180 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) sugar, for the batter; reserve for syrup
• •3 whole (3 large) eggs, room temperature
• •60 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• •5 g (1 tsp) baking powder
• •1 g (¼ tsp) salt
• •1 tsp vanilla extract, optional
• •300 g (1½ cups) sugar, for the syrup
• •300 ml (1¼ cups) water, for the syrup
• •1 whole lemon, juice + a thin slice for the syrup
• •15 g (1 tbsp) pine nuts or slivered almonds, for topping; pistachios also traditional

Steps

1. 1 Make the syrup first so it can cool: combine 300 g sugar, 300 ml water and the juice of 1 lemon in a small saucepan. Add a thin slice of lemon peel. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer 8-10 minutes until just slightly thickened. Remove from heat, discard the peel and let cool completely.
2. 2 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 22-24 cm (9-inch) round baking dish well with butter and dust lightly with a little semolina.
3. 3 In a large bowl, whisk the 3 eggs with 180 g sugar until pale and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes by hand.
4. 4 Add the 200 g yogurt, 60 g melted butter and 1 tsp vanilla (if using) and whisk until smooth.
5. 5 Add 250 g semolina, 5 g baking powder and 1 g salt. Stir just until combined — do not overmix; let the batter rest 5 minutes so the semolina absorbs the liquid.
6. 6 Pour the batter into the prepared dish, smoothing the top. Score lightly into diamond or square pieces (this makes portioning and syrup absorption easier). Sprinkle the pine nuts or almonds over the top.
7. 7 Bake on the middle rack for 35-40 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Internal temperature should read at least 96°C / 205°F.
8. 8 Remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes. Spoon the COLD syrup evenly over the hot cake — the temperature contrast is traditional and helps the syrup absorb without making the cake soggy. Use about 2/3 of the syrup; add more to taste.
9. 9 Let the Şambali cool completely in the pan, at least 1-2 hours, so it fully absorbs the syrup. Serve at room temperature.