Algerian Orange Blossom Semolina Pancakes with Honey Syrup and Toasted Almonds

Name: Algerian Orange Blossom Semolina Pancakes with Honey Syrup and Toasted Almonds
Prep time: 17 min
Cook time: 36 min
Total time: 53 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Algerian
Ingredients: ½ cup (50 g) sliced almonds, raw, untoasted; ½ cup (170 g) honey; ½ cup (120 ml) water; 4 tablespoons (50 g) granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange blossom water, stirred in off the heat; 1 cup (160 g) fine semolina; ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; ½ cup (50 g) fine almond flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 4 tablespoons (50 g) granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine salt; 2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 1¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange blossom water; 1 teaspoon (2 g) orange, zest only, finely grated; 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, for frying, divided

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Small, tender semolina and almond pancakes are pan-fried in butter, then soaked briefly in a warm honey and orange blossom syrup. They finish with toasted almonds, so the outside is lightly crisp and the inside is soft and fragrant.

Prep: 17 min
Cook: 36 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 13 min
Makes: 12 pancakes, about 3½ inches (9 cm) each

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the topping
½ cup (50 g) sliced almonds, raw, untoasted
For the syrup
½ cup (170 g) honey
½ cup (120 ml) water
4 tablespoons (50 g) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange blossom water, stirred in off the heat
For the pancakes
1 cup (160 g) fine semolina
½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
½ cup (50 g) fine almond flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
4 tablespoons (50 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (8 g) baking powder
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt
2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
1¼ cups (300 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
1 tablespoon (15 ml) orange blossom water
1 teaspoon (2 g) orange, zest only, finely grated
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, for frying, divided

Equipment (8)

12-inch (30 cm) nonstick or well-seasoned skillet or griddle
Small saucepan (1½ quart / 1.5 L) for the syrup
Large mixing bowl and medium mixing bowl
Whisk
¼-cup (60 ml) measuring cup or ladle for portioning batter
Thin spatula
Shallow dish, about 9-inch (23 cm) wide, for soaking
Fine grater or Microplane

Steps

Before you start

Use fine semolina (sometimes sold as semolina flour or fine couscous flour), not coarse semolina. Coarse semolina makes gritty pancakes.
Take the eggs and milk out of the fridge 20 minutes ahead so the melted butter doesn't clump when you mix.
The batter must rest 20 minutes so the semolina can soften. Plan for this, and make the syrup while it rests if you like.
Have a wide, shallow dish ready for soaking the pancakes, and a plate or wire rack to hold them afterward.

1
Toast the almonds
- Put the sliced almonds in the dry 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir or shake the pan constantly for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Tip them onto a plate right away so they stop cooking, and wipe out the pan.
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Ready when: Almonds are golden at the edges and smell nutty.
Tip: Sliced almonds go from golden to burnt in seconds, so never walk away.
2
Simmer the syrup
- In the small saucepan, combine the honey, water, syrup sugar and lemon juice.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- Simmer without stirring for 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the 1 tablespoon orange blossom water.
- Leave it in the pan to stay warm.
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Ready when: Syrup coats the back of a spoon like thin maple syrup. It will thicken more as it cools.
Tip: Add the orange blossom water off the heat, because boiling dulls its fragrance.
3
Mix the dry ingredients
- In the large bowl, whisk together the semolina, all-purpose flour, almond flour, batter sugar, baking powder and salt for 30 seconds, until evenly combined with no baking powder lumps.
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Ready when: The mixture looks uniform in color with no visible clumps.
4
Whisk the wet ingredients
- In the medium bowl, whisk the eggs until the yolks and whites are blended.
- Whisk in the milk, the cooled melted butter, the 1 tablespoon orange blossom water and the orange zest.
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Ready when: The mixture is smooth and pale yellow with no streaks of egg white or butter.
Tip: If the butter is still hot, it can scramble the eggs. Let it cool for 5 minutes first.
5
Combine and rest
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
- Whisk gently for about 20 seconds, just until no dry pockets remain.
- Cover and let the batter rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
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Ready when: Batter is noticeably thicker, like a loose pourable cake batter, and slowly drops off a spoon.
Tip: If it gets too thick to pour after resting, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk.
6
Fry the pancakes
- Heat the skillet over medium-low heat for 2 minutes.
- Melt about ½ tablespoon of the frying butter, swirling to coat.
- Pour ¼ cup (60 ml) batter per pancake, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them, for 3 or 4 at a time.
- Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the edges look set and small bubbles pop on the surface.
- Flip and cook 2 minutes more.
- Move to a plate and repeat with fresh butter, for 12 pancakes in all.
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Ready when: Both sides are deep golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean (160°F / 71°C inside).
Tip: If the pancakes brown in under 2 minutes, lower the heat. The centers need time to cook through before they go into the syrup.
7
Soak in syrup
- Reheat the syrup briefly over low heat if it has cooled and thickened, until just warm and pourable.
- Pour about three-quarters of it into the shallow dish.
- Dip each hot pancake for 30 seconds per side, turning once, so it soaks up syrup but doesn't fall apart.
- Lift out with the spatula and arrange on a serving platter, overlapping slightly.
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Ready when: Pancakes look glossy and slightly darker, and feel heavy and moist but still hold their shape.
Tip: Warm pancakes in warm syrup soak up the best. Cold syrup just sits on top.
8
Finish and serve
- Spoon the remaining syrup over the stacked pancakes and scatter the toasted almonds on top.
- Serve warm, within 15 minutes.
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Tip: Mint tea or strong coffee goes well with these because the pancakes are very sweet.

Good to know

Tips

Measure semolina and flours by weight if you can. Too much semolina gives dense, dry pancakes.
Keep the heat at medium-low. Semolina pancakes need a gentle, steady cook to set in the middle before the outside browns.
Do not soak the pancakes for longer than 30 seconds per side, or they turn mushy.
Orange blossom water varies in strength by brand. Taste a drop first, and use less if it is very concentrated.

Make ahead

"Fry the pancakes up to 1 day ahead. Cool completely, layer between parchment and refrigerate. Make the syrup up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it. To serve, rewarm the pancakes in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8 minutes, warm the syrup, then soak and top as directed."

Storage & reheating

"Soaked pancakes keep at room temperature for up to 2 hours, or covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes, covered with foil. Unsoaked, cooled pancakes freeze for up to 2 months in a sealed bag with parchment between them. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat, then soak in fresh warm syrup."

Substitutions

orange blossom water → rose water. Use the same amount in the syrup. Rose water is a little stronger, so use 2 teaspoons if you're sensitive to floral flavors.
fine almond flour → all-purpose flour. Use 50 g (½ cup) for a plainer pancake. The almond flavor and tenderness will be reduced.
whole milk → buttermilk. Use the same amount and reduce the baking powder to 1½ teaspoons for a tangier, softer pancake.
honey → light agave or maple syrup. Use the same weight. The flavor will be milder but the soaking works the same way.