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Today I’m sharing delicious Labneh Cheesecake with Semolina Crust and Orange Blossom Salted Caramel.
Slightly tangy and creamy labneh (strained yogurt) creates such a wonderful foundation for this velvety cheesecake. It’s perfectly balanced with the sweet semolina crust. Instead of a traditional crispy biscuit base, I was inspired by namoura, a syrup-soaked semolina cake. It’s light, fluffy, and has a slightly nutty quality with the addition of almond flour. The double cake is smothered in an orange blossom salted caramel. A triple threat no doubt!
Making this cheesecake is quite simple, but it does require planning ahead. Borrowing from ma’amoul, the crust ingredients are hydrated by soaking overnight before baking and topping with the filling, which uses a combination of labneh, ricotta, vanilla extract, eggs, sugar, flour to thicken, and orange zest. Sami Tamimi uses the same ingredients in his labneh cheesecake in Falastin, but I’m using a slightly different method. I mix mine in a bowl as to not let in too much air. I also cool it in an open oven, on the counter, then in the fridge overnight. Extreme temperatures can cause cheesecake to cease and crack, so this ensures a rich, buttery texture.
The orange blossom salted caramel uses the easiest technique I could find: dissolve sugar into water, melt butter, and let it turn an amber color before streaming in heavy cream and salt (via Life, Love, and Sugar). The addition of orange blossom gives it that signature aroma and flavor that sends you right back to your favorite Arabic sweets shop.
Let’s do a run down of the ingredients.
Semolina
In order to make the crust, you want to use regular or coarse semolina, a flour made from hard durum wheat, which is used in pasta, bread, and porridge all over the world. In the Arab world, you can find it in ma’amoul and namoura, which I linked above.
Almond Flour
Almond flour, or finely ground almonds, breaks up the coarseness of the semolina. I knew they would work well together because of the classic combination in namoura. (get some here)
Orange Blossom
Distilled from the fragrant flower of the orange tree, it’s found in just about every Arabic sweet. It’s versatile and pairs with so many flavors. I also use it in drinks to add a mysterious floral touch. In this recipe, I make a quick simple syrup with it, providing enough moisture for the crust. It’s also (obviously) used in the salted caramel. (get some here)
Labneh
You’ll find labneh in just about every Syrian fridge. It was traditionally made to preserve fresh yogurt. Now, it’s a complex tangy component to every breakfast table and has a myriad of other uses. In the UAE, I use Balade Farms. If you don’t have access to good quality labneh, make your own by lining a colander with a couple of layers of paper towel. Combine 1 kg/2.2 lbs plain, full-fat yogurt with 1-2 tsp salt and allow to strain for 24 hours on the counter.
Other semolina recipes:
Namoura (Syrup-Soaked Semolina Cake)
Semolina Ma'amoul Filled with Candied Orange Peel
Halawet el Jibn (Sweet Cheese Rolls)
Vegan Kibbeh with Swiss Chards
Kibbet Hileh (Vegan Kibbeh with Caramelized Onions)
Other sweets:
Qatayef Asafiri (Cream-Filled Bird Pancakes)
Almond Milk Pudding with Crushed Almonds, Orange Blossom and Mastic (Vegan Kishk al Fuqara)
Vanilla Ice Cream with Mastic, Meringue, Caramel Almond Brittle and Dried Fruit (Cassata)
Labneh Cheesecake with Semolina Crust and Orange Blossom Salted Caramel
Ingredients
- 1/2 c (100 g) granulated/caster sugar
- 1/2 c (120 ml) orange blossom
- 1 c (200 g) semolina
- 1/2 c (65 g) almond flour/finely ground almonds
- 1/3 c (90 g) melted unsalted butter
- 1/4 c tahini
- 15 oz (450 g) labneh*
- 18 oz (500 g) ricotta
- 1 c (200 g) granulated/caster sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Zest from 1 orange
- 1 c (200 g) granulated/caster sugar
- 1/2 c (120 ml) water
- 1/4 c (56 g) unsalted butter
- 1/2 c (120 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp orange blossom
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- Make a simple syrup by combining the orange blossom and sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over high heat until dissolved. Stop stirring and allow to come up to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Combine semolina, almond flour, melted butter, and cooled simple syrup in a large bowl. Cover and rest overnight.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 180° C fan/350° F convection.
- Prepare an 8 or 9-inch springform pan by brushing the tahini on the bottom.
- Pour the batter into the pan, pressing with your hand to form a tight, even layer.
- Transfer to the oven until golden and fully baked, about 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool.
- Reduce the oven to 150° C fan/300° F convection.
- Pulse the ricotta in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.
- Fold in the labneh, sugar, egg yolks, eggs, flour, vanilla, salt, and orange zest, making sure to not over mix.
- Top the semolina layer and transfer back to the oven.
- Bake until just the center is a bit jiggly and the edge has turned a slight color, about 60-70 minutes. Start checking at 45 minutes to make sure it doesn't over bake, which will cause it to crack.
- Once finished, turn off the oven and leave the cake inside. Open the door slightly and cool for at least an hour, then the countertop for a few more hours, and then the fridge overnight.
- Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat. Stir until dissolved, just a few minutes. Add the butter and melt.
- At this point, don't stir so it doesn't crystallize. You can swivel the pan around every few minutes if you'd like, but it's best to not touch it.
- Cook for about 10-15 minutes until it's a deep amber color, but a touch lighter than your target color because it will continue cooking when you take off heat.
- Remove from heat and add the heavy cream in a steady stream. It's best to do this with your pan in the sink, because it may bubble up. Watch out for splattering hot sugar! Whisk until combined.
- Add the orange blossom and salt and set aside. If it looks thin, don't be alarmed. It will thicken as it cools.
- When you're ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and carefully separate it from the base by sliding a knife underneath. Serve with the salted caramel on the side or drizzled on top. Enjoy!
Notes:
*If labneh isn't accessible in a store near you, make your own by lining a colander with a couple of layers of paper towel. Combine 1 kg/2 lbs yogurt with 1-2 tsp salt and strain in the colander overnight either on the counter or in the fridge.