This beautiful dish sits somewhere between cake and dessert, and draws together a host of ingredients and flavours brought over from Egypt by the Jewish diaspora. In this version the fruit compote calls for rhubarb, but Chef Tomer encourages you to experiment with whatever tart seasonal fruit you can get your hands on. As the name suggests, the real star of this dish is the Zohar water, or orange blossom extract. While many of us may not be too familiar with this ingredient, those who call Tel Aviv home will recognise it immediately as the aroma of spring, once the orange tree lined streets burst into bloom.
The Cake - made with semolina as the predominant dry ingredient, this cake has a loose sandy texture. However, it remains moist due to the high hydration level of the batter, and also because once baked, the cake is then soaked with orange blossom syrup, allowing the flavour to saturate the crumb entirely. This makes the Zohar cake, delicate yet flavourful - with every bite giving you a burst of bright flavour. Additionally, to add a floral note to the dish Tomer bakes crushed lavender into the batter, elevating the whole cake with a subtle aroma.
Fruit Compote - Tomer uses seasonal rhubarb as a sharp, tangy accompaniment to the aromatic Zohar cake. Either spooned over the baked dessert, or served on the side, this simple compote is made of stewed down rhubarb stalks and sugar, with a squeeze of lemon to finish. However, even though this recipe calls for rhubarb, Tomer encourages you to use any sour fruit that is seasonal to you, and lists a few helpful suggestions in the video.