Choc And Almond Polenta Cake Recipes

POLENTA ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread sliced almonds in a single layer on a small baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a shallow bowl; set aside to cool. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, finely grind whole almonds; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground almonds, polenta, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Pour melted butter into an 8-by-2-inch round cake pan, swirling to coat bottom and brushing up sides of the pan. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar and toasted sliced almonds; set aside.
• Combine butter and remaining 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Beat in orange juice and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, slowly beating just until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer baking pan to wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan, and cool completely.

CHOC AND ALMOND POLENTA CAKE

Steps:

• Place the polenta in a bowl and add enough boiling water just to cover. Stir well, cover and leave to stand until all the water is absorbed (approx 30 mins). If using ready made polenta move directly to step 2.
• Preheat oven to 190C/375F and grease and line the base of a round deep cake tin 8.5 inches/22 cm
• Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water
• Whisk together the egg yolks and caster sugar until the mixture is thick and pale. Beat in the melted chocolate then fold in the moistened polenta, ground almonds, flour and orange rind
• Whisk he egg whites in a clean grease free bowl until stiff. Lightly stir in 1 tbsp of the whites into the chocolate cake mixture and then fold in the rest followed by the blanched almonds.
• Scrape the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 45-55 minutes until well risen and firm to the touch. Cool on a rack then dust with icing sugar and the cherries.

ALMOND-POLENTA POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third. Butter an 8 × 9 4-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, and tap out excess. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cut the almond paste into 2/3 cup sugar with 2 forks until it resembles coarse meal. Add the butter; using the paddle attachment, beat until soft and light, about 4 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the extracts, cream, and egg yolks. With the mixer on medium, gradually add the cream mixture to the butter mixture. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Sift half the flour mixture over the butter mixture, and fold to combine. Fold in the remaining flour mixture.
• In another mixing bowl, beat the egg whites and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar on medium speed to stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Fold into the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. If the top begins to brown too much, cover loosely with foil. Let cool before serving.