Sweet
Skopje ravanija
Ravanija with walnuts and lemon zest. The rule here is the opposite of aravanija: syrup boiling hot, cake lukewarm.
Recipe from Горица Јовчевска · Markham, ON
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 1 hr
- Fasting
- Not suitable
Ingredients 8 ingredients
Method
- Whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture pales and doubles. This is the only lightness in the cake, so do not rush it.
- Fold in the semolina, baking powder, lemon zest, lemon juice and the finely chopped walnuts. Use a spoon, lifting from underneath.
- Pour into a greased tin and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes so the semolina swells.
- Bake at 180 °C for about 35–40 minutes, until a skewer put into the middle comes out dry.
- Meanwhile boil a syrup from 5 cups water and 4 cups sugar. Do not reduce it as far as you would for baklava — it should stay thinner.
- Douse the ravanija while the syrup is boiling hot and the cake is lukewarm. Let it drink the syrup fully, at least an hour, then cut into diamonds.
If you cannot find it
Substitutions that work outside Macedonia.
- Semolina
- Fine semolina; a coarser grind gives a crunchier cake that also works.
- Walnuts
- Almonds or hazelnuts, finely chopped.
- Sachet of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
