Polenta Cake
This recipe from Lombardia is from the province of Varese and is often called Dolce Varese or Amor Polenta. Originally made with coarse cornmeal and other cereal grains, it was considered a humble cake. It is traditionally made in a long ridged pan called a Moravian pan, available at fantes.com. It can also be made in a round 9-inch cake pan or in a loaf pan
Makes one 10 x 4 x 2-inch cake in a Moravian pan
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or rum
- 1/2 Vanilla bean seeds, optional (Use seeds fromto a whole bean.)
- 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 3/4 cup fine ground yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- Confectioner’s sugar to sprinkle
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs one at a time; beat in vanilla or rum and vanilla bean seeds. Set aside
- In another bowl stir together the flour, almond flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder; add to egg mixture and blend until well combined.
- Pour into well buttered and cornmeal-dusted pan.
- Bake until golden brown; about 35 to 40 minutes; cool. (Baking time may vary depending on the type of pan that is used.) Unmold and dust heavily with confectioner’s sugar. Serve as is or gild the lily.
- Gilding the lily:
- Mix 1/2 cup softened mascarpone cheese, 2 tablespoons heavy cream and 2 tablespoons sugar together until smooth. Add 1/4 cup Fabbri* strawberries in syrup and serve as garnish to sliced cake.
- *See their whole selection of dessert toppings on-line:
- http://shop.fabbri1905.com/it-IT-en/Default.aspx
This recipe was featured on Season 27 - Episode 2725.
Comments
M Pecoraro
Loved your presentation. Bought the pan, love it (non stick),but it’s bigger will do the Math and hope it works.
Modesta Murphy
Dear Mary AnnThank you so much for sharing your delicious recipes!, blessings, Modesta
Tomosinthekitchen
Just love ur cooking ! My grams Naples grampa siciliano I’m a great cook make cooking videos u are a great inspiration !! Just love you🇮🇹🇮🇹💋💋👨🍳👨🍳ciao
Tomosinthekitchen
Just love ur cooking ! My grams Naples grampa siciliano I’m a great cook make cooking videos u are a great inspiration !! Just love you🇮🇹🇮🇹💋💋👨🍳👨🍳ciao
Karla Camarata
Mary Ann, I bought one of your cookbooks but I so enjoy watching you actually making these dishes. I never knew how to clarify butter and I have been making Veal Milanese for years, being part Sicilian, we grew up eating a lot of dishes but I never knew how to cook them. But now I do! I would love to know where your house is? U.S. or Italy?