Azouglou Sida is a beloved Tunisian dessert — a dense, syrup-soaked semolina cake with a rich, warming flavour of cinnamon and orange. Found at celebrations and family gatherings across Tunisia, it is intensely moist from the honey syrup poured over it while still warm. A true taste of Tunisian home cooking.
Ingredients
- 500 g fine semolina
- 200 g caster sugar
- 200 ml vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 1 sachet of baking powder
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the syrup
- 300 ml water
- 200 g sugar
- 3 tbsp orange blossom water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 dried orange slice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F). Grease a baking tin (30x20cm or round).
- Mix together semolina, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and orange zest.
- Beat in the eggs, oil, and vanilla until you have a smooth batter.
- Pour into the tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, make the syrup: combine all ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes.
- As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour the hot syrup over it. Let it absorb for at least 1 hour.
- Cut into diamond shapes and decorate with a dried orange slice and cinnamon stick.
🌙 Sahtein! This dessert is even better the next day once fully soaked.