For the mix: | |
1 kg (4 teacups) of coarse semolina | |
24 eggs | |
3 water glasses of sugar | |
6 vanillas | |
1 packet of baking powder | |
1 raki glass of cognac | |
1 teacup of margarine, or butter, or sunflower oil | |
1 cup of orange zest | |
1 teacup of finely ground and roasted walnuts or almonds | |
For the syrup: | |
6 water glasses of sugar | |
8 water glasses of water | |
6 vanillas | |
juice of a lemon and its peel, cut into 4 pieces |
1. | In a similar bowl, beat the egg whites until they become meringue. |
2. | In another bowl, beat the yolks with the sugar and butter until they become a paste. |
3. | Then add all the ingredients into the meringue, plus the yolks. |
4. | Mix well and finally add the semolina. |
5. | Mix well and pour the whole mixture into a buttered baking pan, taking care to spread it evenly. |
6. | Bake in the oven for 45´, until it rises and browns well. |
7. | When cooked, cut into pieces of your choice, according to size and shape, before syrupinging. |
8. | While the ravani is cooking, prepare the syrup. |
9. | In a pot, add all the ingredients and boil a little, for 5´, taking care not to thicken. |
10. | Remove the lemon peels and while it is hot, add it to the similarly hot ravani. |
11. | Cover with a cloth until it cools down. |
12. | It is served cold or hot, garnished with various flavours of our choice, fruits, sweets, coconut, pistachio, etc. |
13. | Tip: |
14. | Dissolve the vanilla and baking powder in a little cold water before adding them. |
15. | The syrupinging is done slowly and not abruptly because it will spoil the crust on the surface, opening holes. |
16. | If you don't like butter or margarine, or sunflower oil, you can skip them. No problem. |
17. | It is also made with flour half and half with semolina, instead of plain semolina. |
18. | A special taste is achieved by adding some yoghurt, 300 grams, to the mixture with the yolks. |
19. | There is a special taste if you add grated coconut to the mixture. |
20. | Alternatively, if you bake it in a suitable pan, you can easily make an impressive cake without cutting it into pieces beforehand. When the ravani is syrupy and well cooled, turn it out onto a cake tin and decorate it as you wish (with chocolate, various icing, coconut, cream, fruit, spoon sweets, etc.). |