Best Polenta Fruitcake Recipes

POLENTA POUND CAKE WITH PEACH TOPPING AND MASCARPONE WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Set up a grill for cooking over indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• Spray the bottom of a loaf pan with the cooking spray; line with parchment paper, then spray with cooking spray one more time. Set aside.
• Whisk together the flour, polenta, baking powder and salt. Set aside. To a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter and granulated sugar. Cream until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolk and beat again to fully incorporate. Add the ricotta, Greek yogurt, vanilla and orange zest and beat again to combine, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the dry ingredients and mix by hand to incorporate. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, then place on the indirect-heat side of the grill, close the lid of the grill and bake until set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 minutes to an hour. Remove from the grill and let cool completely.
• For the peach topping: Meanwhile, add the marmalade, orange juice and peaches to a pot, place over indirect heat and bring to a gentle simmer for the flavors to meld together, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Make the mascarpone whipped cream: Beat the heavy cream and confectioners' sugar with a blender until whipped cream forms. Fold in the mascarpone and vanilla.
• Remove the cake from the pan, then slice and serve with the peach topping and mascarpone whipped cream spooned over the top.

SPICY POLENTA CAKES

Steps:

• Combine the milk, salt and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and slowly whisk in the polenta. Cook, whisking constantly, until the polenta tightens and there are no lumps, about 4 minutes. Stir in the queso blanco, butter, cilantro, pepper and jalapeno. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
• Generously butter a 9-by-9-inch baking pan. Pour the polenta into the pan and set aside to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, until firm.
• Preheat a griddle pan over medium heat. Invert the polenta onto a clean cutting board and slice it into nine 3-inch squares. Brush the squares on both sides with the olive oil, then griddle them until golden brown and warmed through, about 3 minutes per side. While warm, drizzle the polenta cakes with the honey and squeeze lime juice over the top. Serve.

POLENTA FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Soak raisins in cognac for 3 hours.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water. Combine cornmeal, salt, flour, sugar, and dissolved yeast. Add raisins, figs, apples, papaya, and orange juice. Knead; add olive oil and melted butter; knead again until smooth. Pour batter into spring-form pan buttered and dusted with cornmeal, cover, and allow to rise for 1 to 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375 degrees.
• Uncover the pan. Brush dough with egg glaze and bake for 50 minutes, until cake is set. Remove sides of pan and allow to cool completely before serving.

HOW TO MAKE PERFECT POLENTA

Steps:

• Bring water and salt to a boil in a large saucepan; pour polenta slowly into boiling water, whisking constantly until all polenta is stirred in and there are no lumps.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Polenta mixture should still be slightly loose. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 5 to 6 minutes. When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon. Polenta is done when texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.
• Turn off heat and gently stir 2 tablespoons butter into polenta until butter partially melts; mix 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into polenta until cheese has melted. Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken; stir and taste for salt before transferring to a serving bowl. Top polenta with remaining 1 tablespoon butter and about 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnish.

BASIC POLENTA

Steps:

• For firm polenta use 4 cups water; for soft polenta use 5 cups water. Bring water to a boil in a medium-size heavy sauce pan over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Pour cornmeal slowly into water, stirring with a wire whisk or wooden spoon. Continue stirring as mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Turn heat to low. Cook for at least 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. If polenta becomes quite thick, thin it with 1/2 cup water, stir well and continue cooking. Add up to 1 cup more water as necessary, to keep polenta soft enough to stir. Put a spoonful on a plate, let it cool, then taste. Grains should be swollen and taste cooked, not raw. Adjust salt and add pepper if you wish.
• For firm polenta, lightly butter a baking sheet or shallow dish, approximately 8 1/2 by 11 inches. Carefully pour polenta into pan. Using a spatula, spread polenta to a thickness of 3/4 inch. Cool to room temperature to allow polenta to solidify. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For soft polenta, add 6 tablespoons butter to pot and stir well. Serve immediately or transfer to a double boiler set over low heat, cover and keep warm for up to an hour or so. (Or set the saucepan in a pot of barely simmering water.) Stir well before spooning into low soup bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

APRICOT, ALMOND & POLENTA CAKE

Steps:

• Butter a 20-23cm round cake tin. If it has a loose bottom, you will need to wrap the outside with foil to prevent any of the caramel from leaking. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. For the apricots, put the granulated sugar and 75ml water into a saucepan. Heat slowly until the sugar has dissolved. When the sugar has melted, bring to the boil and watch the syrup until it starts to turn to a deep amber colour. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Stir until it has melted. Pour into the tin, then lay the apricots in it, cut-side down.
• For the cake, beat together the butter and sugar until light with an electric whisk. Add the egg a little at a time, then the zest and almond extract. Mix all the dry ingredients together, then fold them gradually into the egg mixture, alternating with the milk. Spoon this over the apricots and bake for 50 mins. To test it's baked, push a skewer into the centre. It should come out clean.
• Leave the cake to cool for 15 mins, then run a knife in-between the cake and the inside of the tin and invert it onto a plate. If any of the apricot halves get left behind in the tin carefully scoop them up - trying to keep their shape intact and not squash them too much - and put them back, cut-side up, on the cake. Leave the cake to cool, or serve warm if you want.
• Heat the apricot jam with 2 tbsp of water. Once the jam has dissolved, push it through a sieve to remove the bits of apricot. Leave it to cool a little - otherwise it overcooks the apricots, which should be perfectly cooked and not collapsing - then paint the jam thickly on the top of the cake. Leave this to set a little, then serve with crème fraîche or cream, if you like.