Semolina Spice Tea Cake

Serves 8-10

• 3 eggs
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup fine semolina
• 1 cup cashews or almonds finely chopped
• 1 cup chopped mixed dried fruit of your liking (raisins, figs, cranberries, cherries, etc)
• 2 T. finely chopped citron or lemon peel
• 1 T. fresh orange zest
• 1/4 t. grated nutmeg
• ½ t. ground cardamom
• ¼ t. ground cloves
• ¼ t. ground allspice
• 2 T. rum
• 1 t. vanilla extract
• 5 oz melted unsalted butter

Beat the eggs and sugar together until pale then beat in the semolina. Add other ingredients and mix well adding the butter last. Leave to rest for 2 hours.

Stir again and pour into a 7 inch greased non-stick pan with a removable bottom.  It is best to line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 45 – 60 minutes until the top is brown and the cake feels firm.

Serve with yogurt or ice cream (pistachio!)

Based on a Sephardic (Indian) recipe by Claudia Roden but substantially changed.