Apparently I’m not the one one who loves polenta cake. The Italians prefer it a lot that it’s referred to as Amor Polenta. Which implies “Polenta Love.”
Effectively, a minimum of that’s what I assumed it meant, as a result of amour in French means “love.” And I assumed that it was the identical in Italian. (One more reason for lastly getting on that life-long ambition to reside in Italy and be taught Italian.) However for now, checking in an Italian dictionary, I came upon that “amor” means “sake.” (As in, for the aim of.) So I’m unsure the way it received its identify, however this cake makes a fairly good argument for the sake of whisking polenta right into a cake.
I’m a type of individuals who is totally loopy for something with cornmeal, from corn bread to even a sort of kooky polenta ice cream that I’m certain nobody else has ever made, as a result of I used a totally obscure polenta that very, only a few folks can get their arms on. However I felt compelled to make it, for the sake of utilizing up just a little bag of that polenta that I had.
Luckily, polenta is offered nearly anyplace. I like to purchase stone-ground polenta, which has a crunchier taste. However you can use prompt polenta for this cake, usually one thing I keep away from. However I discovered myself with a bag of it and was searching for methods to make use of it up. And right here’s the place the remainder of it landed.
Like many Italian muffins, that are not like American muffins, this isn’t a buttery bomb of richness. True, there may be butter and some eggs in there. However the nice taste comes from floor almonds, which are inclined to make the cake a lot moister the next day because the nut oils soak the crumb, which is a type of baking phrases (not like amor) that just about appears to be what it’s speaking about. The polenta provides a little bit of a savory high quality to desserts, which attracts me to make use of it quite a bit when baking.
This cake is a superb snacking cake and I are inclined to stroll round my condo a number of occasions throughout the day, in some way touchdown continuously close to the cake, the place a serrated knife simply occurs to be stationed alongside. Prepared and ready to lop a slice off.
Along with a set of polentas, I discovered myself with a set of eaux-de-vie readily available. Some have been items, others have been picked up on my travels. A couple of are anise-based, which pair properly with polenta, and chocolate. I’ve a ginger one that’s nice when summer season fruits are in season, like peaches, nectarines, and apricots. And the lengthy bottle within the entrance proper, the eau-de-vie of lees that I received in Switzerland, after I came upon how good raisins in lie (eau-de-vie constituted of leftover grape yeast, and different stuff that falls to the underside of wine vats publish fermentation) was, after gorging on cauldrons of fondue.
As astute readers can see from the fill line of the bottle, that undertaking by no means got here to fruition. (I’m too busy making an attempt set up my polentas and eaux-de-vie. And plotting a solution to reside in each Italy, and France.) However I did add a couple of photographs of orange liqueur (not proven), which gave it just a little increase of taste. Not sufficient to be perceptible. However like that bag of prompt polenta I’ve had for a couple of months, I used to be all the time aware that it was there. You need to use any sort of liqueur that you really want – maraschino, limoncello, absinthe, kirsch, and even anise liqueur.
As a lot as I like this as a snacking cake, it may be dressed up with a fruit compote. I sectioned some tangerines, navel oranges, and pink grapefruits, drizzled just a little honey over them, and served them alongside the cake. I had deliberate to spoon some heat sabayon over the cake and fruit, however determined that I had too many different issues to do. Specifically, get cracking on utilizing a few of these bottles of liqueur that I’ve been hoarding.
Orange-Glazed Polenta Cake
Though muffins like this don’t all the time want adornment, I did glaze it with a dribbly orange glaze that corporations up and provides the highest a citrus-scented fruity crunch. For these eager to skip the liqueur within the cake, you’ll be able to depart it out and enhance the almond extract to 1 1/4 teaspoon. For the glaze, you change the liqueur with orange juice.
Components
For the cake
- 8 ounces (225g) unsalted butter cubed, at room temperature
- scant 1 cup (180g) sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 massive eggs at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons liqueur or eau-de-vie akin to orange liqueur (Grand Marnier or Cointreau), kirsch or grappa
- 3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 3/4 cup (125g) finely floor polenta plus further for making ready the pan
- 2 cups (215g) almond flour
- 6 tablespoons (55g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder ideally aluminium-free
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the glaze
- 1 1/4 cups (170g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 4 teaspoons orange liqueur (akin to Grand Marnier or Cointreau)
Directions
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Butter a 9-inch (23cm) loaf pan. Mud the within with polenta, and faucet out any extra. (Be aware: The pan I used has a nonstick end. If you wish to be sure that the cake comes out properly you could need to reduce a rectangle of parchment paper and match it into the underside of the pan after you put together it, particularly if utilizing an unfinished loaf pan.) Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
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Within the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest at medium-high pace, till it’s mild and fluffy, about 3 minutes. (You may also make this in a big bowl, beating the butter and sugar by hand.)
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Add the eggs one after the other, stopping the mixer after every addition to scrape down the edges of the bowl. Combine within the liqueur and almond extract.
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In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the polenta, floor almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt, till there are not any lumps. Progressively combine the dry components into the creamed butter combination, simply till well-combined. Don’t overmix.
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Scrape the batter into the pan, easy the highest, and bake the cake till it’s golden brown on high and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out virtually clear, maybe with just some crumbs hooked up, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool on a rack for about half-hour, then run a knife alongside the surface of the cake to loosen it from the pan and tip the cake onto the rack. Let the cake cool fully earlier than icing.
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To glaze the cake, combine the powdered sugar with the orange juice and orange liqueur till the glaze is thick, however nonetheless runny – not too watery, however as thick as a milkshake. If obligatory, add a bit extra sugar if it’s too skinny, or add a bit extra liquid if it’s too thick. You’ll be able to strive smoothing a bit over the cake to see if it’s the appropriate consistency for drizzling and dripping down the edges earlier than glazing all the cake.
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Spoon the glaze over the cake, encouraging the glaze to run down the edges by nudging it in direction of the perimeters with the again of the spoon or a metallic spatula.
Notes
Storage: The cake will preserve for as much as 5 days, if nicely wrapped, at room temperature. The cake shall be noticeably moister the day after baking as a result of oil within the nuts. It may be frozen for as much as two months.
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