Couscous Date Cake Recipes

COUSCOUS CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together the couscous, cilantro, egg, egg yolk, coriander, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture. Mix until combined.
• In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Form 1/4 cupfuls of the mixture into 8 patties. Add 4 of the patties to the pan and cook for 3 to 4 minutes each side until golden. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining couscous mixture.
• Serve the couscous cakes with mango chutney.

GIANT COUSCOUS CAKE WITH ROASTED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit/220 degrees Celsius.
• Prepare the pepper sauce: Add the bell peppers and tomato to a baking sheet (tray) and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Drizzle the garlic heads with a little oil, wrap tightly in foil and place them to one side of the baking sheet. Roast for 35 minutes or until the pepper skins are well charred and the garlic has softened.
• When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the pepper and tomato skins. (Don't worry if you can't remove all the skin.) Add the peeled vegetables to a food processor. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their papery skins (discarding the skins) and add them to the blender along with the vinegar, maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Blitz for a few seconds, then, with the machine running, slowly drizzle in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil until incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Set aside pepper sauce.
• Meanwhile, prepare the couscous cake: Add the couscous, 1/2 teaspoon salt and boiling water to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, then cover with a lid and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.
• Place a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Toss the scallions (spring onions) with 1/2 tablespoon oil, then add to the pan and fry until softened and charred, turning halfway through, about 4 minutes. Set the scallions aside.
• Turn the heat down to medium-high, then add another 1/2 tablespoon oil and the spinach to the pan. Cook until wilted, about 90 seconds, then transfer to a large bowl. Roughly chop the scallions and add two-thirds to the bowl with the spinach. Add the couscous, yogurt, both cheeses, flour, eggs, garlic, coriander, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper to the bowl and mix everything to combine.
• Wipe out the skillet and heat 5 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Once hot, add the couscous mixture, and use a spoon to evenly distribute and smooth out the top. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes; the edges will be golden, the cake will start to set in the center and you should be able to loosen the cake from the base.
• Use a spatula to gently separate the cake from the sides of the pan, running it under the cake as well to try to loosen it from the bottom. Remove the pan from the heat and, very gently, invert the whole thing onto a large plate. Return the pan to the heat and slide the cake back into it, crispy-side up, to brown the other side. Cook for 8 minutes over medium heat, then transfer the cake to a large wooden board or serving platter.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining scallions with the extra basil leaves and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle the cake all over with the extra pecorino and top with the scallion mixture. Serve with the pepper sauce in a bowl alongside.

COUSCOUS DATE CAKE

Steps:

• For the Cake: With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter and flour a 20-cm (8-inch) springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper.
• In a saucepan, bring the water, dates, butter and baking soda to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate until lukewarm, about 30 minutes.
• In a bowl, combine the flour, couscous and baking powder. Set aside.
• In another bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture turns pale, triples in volume and falls from the beaters in a ribbon, about 10 minutes. Using a spatula, gently fold in the dry ingredients then the date mixture.
• Pour into the springform pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 65 minutes.
• Let cool. Run the blade of a thin knife around the inside of the pan. Unmould and let cool on a rack.
• For the Icing: In a bowl, beat the sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

COUSCOUS CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, salt 1 1/4 cups water and bring to a boil. Whisk in the couscous. Turn off the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked couscous to a bowl and mix in the nuts, parsley and egg. Season with salt and pepper. With damp hands, form the couscous into 4 patties, about 1-inch thick (about the same thickness of your first thumb joint).
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick pan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Carefully place the couscous cakes in the pan and cook until golden, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and serve.
• BYOC: The thing I love about making cakes is I can really throw anything in there. Sticking with the Middle Eastern theme, dates would add a nice texture to these. Plus, you can break up leftovers in a pan for an alternative to fried rice. You can throw any herb in here - basil, thyme or oregano.

COUSCOUS WITH DRIED DATES

Steps:

• Bring the water, stock, and oil to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the dates followed by the couscous. Cover the pan tightly with a lid, remove from the heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

COCONUT DATE CAKE

Steps:

• Pour hot water over dates and baking soda; leave aside.
• Cream butter/margarine and sugar, add beaten egg.
• Stir in date mixture and add vanilla, salt and coconut,
• Stir in sifted flout and baking powder.
• Bake in 2 prepared cake pans at 375 degrees F for 20 - 30 minutes.
• Filling:
• Cook sugar, cocoa, water, dates and butter/margarine until thick. Add coconut.
• To be spread between the two cake layers.
• Decorate top of cake with chocolate icing.

ORANGE DATE CAKE

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter and one cup of sugar together.
• Add one tablespoon of water to baking soda and add vinegar to the milk.
• Mix in rind from two oranges, flour, egg, water/baking soda mixture and milk/vinegar mixture.
• Add walnuts and dates.
• Bake in an angel food cake pan or a spring form pan at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes.
• While cake is baking, squeeze the juice from the 2 oranges and mix with the remaining 1 cup of sugar.
• When cake comes out of the oven, pour this mixture over the cake.

COUSCOUS WITH DATES

Steps:

• Bring water, oil, zest, and salt to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in couscous and dates, then cover pan and remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in scallion greens.

EASY DATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degF.
• Prepare a 13 x 9 x 2 inch cake pan.
• Mix tog chopped dates, soda and boiling water and let stand.
• Mix tog butter, sugar and vanilla, then add the date mixture.
• Add the flour and chopped nuts.
• Pour into prepared cake pan and bake at 350 degF for approximately 35 minutes. Test cake with toothpick to see if done.Cool in pan.

OLIVE OIL COUSCOUS CAKE WITH CRèME FRAîCHE AND DATE SYRUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 3-inch-high sides with olive oil. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper round; brush parchment with olive oil. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Stir in couscous. Whisk olive oil and Muscat in another medium bowl to blend.
• Using stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg yolks, eggs, and 1 cup sugar on high speed in large bowl until thick and pale yellow, about 7 minutes. Transfer to large wide bowl. Stir in orange peel. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in flour mixture alternately with olive oil mixture in 4 additions each (mixture may deflate slightly). Transfer batter to prepared pan. Tap pan lightly on work surface to eliminate any air bubbles.
• Bake cake until dark brown and beginning to pull away from sides of pan and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer cake to rack and cool in pan at least 30 minutes. Turn cake out onto platter (cake may fall slightly in center). Do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool. Cover with foil and store at room temperature.
• Using electric mixer, beat cream and créme fraîche in large bowl until soft peaks form.
• Cut cake into wedges. Place 1 cake wedge on each plate. Drizzle date syrup over. Spoon whipped cream alongside. Sprinkle dates over.