This Week's Recipe: Marmalade and Polenta Cake

Why Marmalade and Polenta Cake?

Beautiful and scrumptious this cake is one to have in your repertoire. The orange slices keep this cake moist, as well as creating its unique topping. While the cake itself, is made up of polenta, almond meal and sour cream creating a fantastic texture and flavour.

Although marmalade is not used in this recipe, the mixture in flavour of bitter and sweet oranges - that one loves in marmalade - is epitomised by poaching the oranges with their rind on in a little water and sugar and then allowing them to caramelise further during baking.

I recommend this cake for people who do not have such a sweet tooth, but enjoy the odd cake or two.

Ingredients

3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
1 1/4 cup (310ml) water
1-2 medium unpeeled oranges, sliced very thinly
125g unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1 cup (220g) caster sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup (60g) almond meal
1/2 cup (75g) plain flour, sifted
1/2 cup (75g) self raising flour, sifted
3/4 cup (120g) fine polenta
1/3 cup (80g) sour cream
1/4 cup (60ml) lemon juice

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Using a 20cm round spring from pan line the base and sides with baking paper.

In a large fry pan over high heat dissolve the water and sugar without stirring. When dissolved turn down the heat and add the orange slices. Cook for 7 minutes, or until the rinds just become soft, turning half way.Carefully lift out the orange slices and arrange from outside to in on the base of the tin.

In a small bowl mix together the polenta, lemon juice, zest and sour cream and set to the side.

In a mixer beat the butter and sugar until light in colour and fluffy and continue to beat in the eggs one at a time.

Mix together the flours and almond meal and fold into the egg mix. Fold in the sour cream and pour on top of the oranges.

Bake for 1 1/4 hours or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to stand for 15 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a plate.

Serves 8-10.

Bon Appetite

Make your own...Baked Ricotta

This is a unique version of baked ricotta and on lend from a very dear friend and fellow ‘foodie’. While having the delicious rich creaminess of traditional baked ricotta, this version is spread thinly on a lightly greased tray instead of being placed in a mould to bake - allowing it to bake quickly with golden crispy edges.

Since having fallen in love with this method I find myself baking it all the time and eating it in salads, sandwiches as a snack or as part of an antipasti plate.

What I specifically love about this method is that it is quick and can create entirely new taste sensations by simply changing the mixture of spices and herbs.

Ingredients
100g ricotta
1 tablespoon olive oil
Dried spices, such as chilli, sumac, cinnamon, fennel, coriander and cumin seeds and pepper
Fresh and dried herbs, such as thyme, parsley, mint, basil
Sea salt

Method
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper and pour on half the olive oil.

Using the back of a spoon smear the ricotta on the tray until it is approximately 1/2 centimetre in hight.

Sprinkle with desired herbs and spices, a good pinch of salt and the rest of the olive oil.

Bake in the oven for 15-25 minutes, or until the ricotta is golden and crispy.

Allow to cool for a minute before breaking into pieces and serving.

Serves 4 in a salad, 2 as a snack.

Bon Appetite