On the occasion of Ramadan, here are some tips to know everything about this essential cake and delight your guests.
Chamia, also called Kalb el louz or qualb el louz (heart of almonds), is a semolina pastry from Algeria regularly consumed on the occasion of Ramadan with a mint tea. As its name suggests, this small cake is topped with almonds but it is quite possible to use other dried fruits such as pistachios or hazelnuts to vary the flavors and colors! Here are some tips to know everything about chamia and succeed in its preparation to perfection.
What type of semolina to use to make a chamia?
Many cooks agree on the fact that the big semolina is to be preferred to succeed the chamia. It offers a more textured result and reduces the chances of getting a dry and compact cake.
Why is my kalb el louz hard and how to avoid it
To prevent your cake from becoming hard and compact, the dough, at the time of preparation, should not be kneaded but sanded with your fingertips. Also, remember to monitor the cooking and soak your cake well with syrup: for a melting result, pour half of the syrup out of the oven and put it back in the oven off a few minutes before pre-soaking it little by little so that it absorbs the liquid well.
How to catch up with a Kalb el Louz that is too dry
Your Kalb el Louz is too dry? Try adding a little syrup (little by little) and squeeze the surface of the cake with a fork to facilitate the absorption of the juice. Repeat the operation if necessary.
The recipe for Kalb el louz
Chamia is quite simple to make and requires ingredients that are easy to find on the market. Ready to treat yourself? Prepare your list and follow the recipe.
The ingredients of the recipe:
- 500 g of large semolina
- 1 pinch of salt
- 200 g of sugar
- 125 g butter
- 125 ml orange blossom
- A handful of whole almonds
For syrup:
- 1 liter of water
- 400 g of sugar
- 7 cl orange blossom water
The preparation steps:
- In a bowl, mix the semolina with a pinch of salt and sugar.
- Add the butter and mix to obtain a sandy texture and let stand for at least an hour.
- Meanwhile prepare the syrup: heat the water with the sugar and orange blossom until boiling and then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Recover your semolina preparation and add the orange blossom little by little while stirring gently (without kneading to avoid a result too compact!).
- Pour everything into a silicone mold (ideally square) or into a classic mold previously buttered.
- Smooth the surface of the cake and gently cut squares of about 5 cm, pushing the knife well into the dough and making gentle movements back and forth from the bottom to the top then place an almond in the center of each square
- Preheat your oven to 200 ° C and bake everything for an hour by turning the mold halfway through cooking (for a homogeneous result).
- Take your cake out of the oven and gently pour half of the syrup into it and then put it back in the oven off for a few minutes.
- Add the syrup little by little until completely absorbed for a well-melting result.
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