Basbousa Bel Ashta Recipe

Ingredients (31)

• 1 cup (237 ml) whole milk
• 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon (15 g) granulated sugar
• 2 mastic resins, crushed (about 1/2 teaspoon), see note 
• 1/4 cup cream cheese (2 ounces; 55 g)
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) rose water 
• 1 cup (237 ml) water
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• One 1 1/2–inch strip navel orange rind
• 3 cardamom pods, bruised
• One 3-inch cinnamon stick
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) orange blossom water
• Unsalted butter, softened, for preparing the pan
• All-purpose flour, for preparing the pan 
• 1 cup coarse semolina (5.5 ounces; 156 g)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (3.5 ounces; 100 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume 
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (8.3 ounces; 235 g)
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature (6 ounces; 170 g)
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (from 2 medium oranges), finely grated
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (177 ml) canola or other neutral oil 
• 2 cups Ashta (16.2 ounces; 460 g), from recipe above 
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) simple syrup (recipe above)
• 1/4 cup chopped raw, unsalted pistachios, to garnish (1.2 ounces; 35 g)
• Orange zest curls, to garnish