CORNMEAL CAKE WITH BLACK CHERRY COMPOTE

Cornmeal Cake with Black Cherry Compote image

Yield Serves 8 to 10

Number Of Ingredients 11

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Yellow cornmeal
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 cups fresh goat's milk or whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup honey
5 tablespoons sugar
4 large eggs, separated
Black Cherry Compote

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9 x 5x 2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. Dust with cornmeal; tap out excess. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into heavy medium saucepan; add bean. Add milk, butter, lemon peel and salt. Bring to simmer, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in 1 cup cornmeal. Transfer to medium bowl. Mix in honey and 3 tablespoons sugar. Cool to just lukewarm, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Discard vanilla bean. Whisk in yolks.
Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over whites and beat until medium-soft peaks form. Gently fold whites into cornmeal mixture in 2 additions. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake cake until top cracks and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will fall in center). Turn out onto plate. Using sharp serrated knife, cut cake into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Place 1 slice on each plate. Top with Black Cherry Compote.