Cornmeal And Fig Cake With Pine Nuts Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 8-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Beat egg yolks and sugar in large bowl. Bring milk, grappa, and salt to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk hot milk mixture into egg yolk mixture. Return to saucepan. Whisk in polenta. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, about 8 minutes.
• Fold figs, raisins, pine nuts, and fennel seeds into polenta mixture. Pour into prepared cake pan.
• Bake cake until golden brown, set in center, and beginning to pull away from sides of pan, about 40 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Cut around pan sides and invert cake onto platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Using a stand mixer, food processor or a large bowl and handheld mixer, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in lemon zest, almond extract, whole egg and egg yolks until well incorporated.
• In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture to combine, then fold in pine nuts and mix thoroughly, taking care not to overwork the dough. (The dough will be rather soft and sticky.)
• Divide dough in two, and, using plastic wrap, form each half into a log about 1 inch in diameter. Refrigerate for 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Slice cold dough into 1/2-inch pieces. (Each slice should weigh ½ ounce/15 grams.) Place slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Press 2 or 3 pine nuts into the surface of each slice. Bake 13 to 15 minutes, until barely browned. Dust lightly with powdered sugar.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Combine the cornmeal, salt and 1 1/2 cups boiling water in a bowl and let it sit until the cornmeal absorbs the water and softens, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Stir in the milk, a little at a time, until the batter is spreadable but still thick. Stir in 2 tablespoons oil, the vanilla and the pine nuts.
• Put a large skillet or griddle over medium heat. When a few drops of water dance on its surface, add a thin film of oil and let it become hot. Spoon out the batter, making any size pancakes you like. Cook until bubbles form on the top and burst and the underside is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes; turn and cook on the other side until golden. You may have to rotate the cakes to cook them evenly, depending on the heat source and pan. As they finish, transfer them to a plate in the oven while you cook the remaining batter. Serve with honey.