Best Upside Down Polenta Recipes

BLOOD ORANGE POLENTA UPSIDE DOWN-CAKE WITH WHIPPED CRèME FRAîCHE

Steps:

• For cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Combine 6 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons water in 10-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet with 8-inch-diameter bottom and 2 1/2-inch-high sides.Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup is golden amber (not dark amber), occasionally brushing down sides of skillet with wet pastry brush and swirling skillet, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and whisk 2 tablespoons butter into caramel. Set aside.
• Cut off both rounded ends of each orange so that ends are even and flat. Using sharp knife, cut oranges into 1/16- to 1/8-inch-thick rounds. Remove and discard any seeds. Arrange orange slices, overlapping slightly, in concentric circles atop caramel in bottom of skillet.
• Whisk flour, polenta, baking powder, and coarse kosher salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat 3/4 cup sugar, remaining 6 tablespoons room-temperature butter, and vanilla in another medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, beating batter just until incorporated.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of egg whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Drop batter by large spoonfuls atop orange slices in skillet, then spread evenly.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in skillet 10 minutes. Run small knife around cake to loosen. Place platter atop skillet. Using oven mitts, hold platter and skillet firmly together and invert, allowing cake to settle onto platter. Rearrange any orange slices that may have become dislodged. Cool cake completely at room temperature.
• For whipped crème fraîche:
• Using electric mixer, beat chilled crème fraîche and 2 tablespoons sugar in medium bowl until mixture thickens.
• Cut cake into wedges and serve with dollop of whipped crème fraîche.
• Available at most supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

BLUEBERRY POLENTA UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line base and sides of a 9-inch-square cake pan with baking parchment, and grease the parchment. Sprinkle 1/3 cup sugar over base of pan, and cover evenly with blueberries.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs, 1 cup sugar and orange zest. Whisk until pale and thick. Add orange juice and oil, and whisk until blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together polenta, flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture to egg mixture, whisking until smooth. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes, until golden brown and springy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool cake on a rack for about 5 minutes. Carefully invert cake onto a serving plate, and slowly peel off parchment paper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

UPSIDE-DOWN BLOOD ORANGE-POLENTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat pan with nonstick spray and place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Cook brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil and cook, without stirring, 2 minutes (it should be slightly thickened). Pour caramel into prepared pan and let rest until set, about 5 minutes.
• Arrange orange slices in concentric circles in a single layer over caramel. (Start with larger slices around the outside, then use smaller ones as you work toward the center. Cut up leftover citrus to fill in the gaps.)
• Whisk flour, polenta, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Place granulated sugar and remaining 1/2 cup butter in a large bowl; scrape in vanilla seeds and save pod for another use. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions; beat until mixture is very fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Reduce mixer speed to low. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients; mix just until batter is smooth. Scrape batter into prepared pan (be careful not to disturb orange slices) and smooth surface with an offset spatula.
• Bake cake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-65 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of cake to loosen, then unmold. Invert cake onto rack and carefully remove bottom of pan. Let cool completely.
• Finely grate lemon omani and cardamom pods over cake and whipped cream, if desired. Serve cake with whipped cream alongside.

UPSIDE-DOWN POLENTA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In saucepan cook sausage and onion till meat is brown and onion is tender; drain off excess fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, the 1 teaspoon slat, the oregano, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to boiling. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir together flour, cornmeal, Parmesan cheese, sugar, baking powder, and the 3/4 teaspoon salt; make a well in center of dry ingredients. Add milk, cooking oil, and egg, stirring till combined. Spread batter in bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Spoon tomato mixture on top. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle cheddar cheese and parsley atop. Bake 5 minutes more.

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB POLENTA UPSIDE DOWN CAKES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin pan with the cooking spray.
• To make the cakes, sift together the flour, corn meal, sugar, Clabber Girl baking powder and salt into a medium-size bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, eggs and yogurt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add the egg mixture, and stir just until blended. Do not overbeat. Let sit for the polenta to absorb the liquids while preparing the muffin tin.
• To prepare the tin, in each muffin cup place 1 teaspoon of the butter and 1 teaspoon of the sugar, then add 2 strawberry halves. Sprinkle evenly with the diced rhubarb. Bake until the mixture in each cup is melted and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling them as full as possible.
• Return muffin tin to the oven and bake until the center of a muffin springs back when pressed gently with your finger, about 18 - 20 minutes. Immediately invert and unmold the cakes onto a wire cake rack. Cool briefly and serve. These cakes are best the day they are made or kept in an airtight container for up to three days.

UPSIDE DOWN POLENTA

Steps:

• 1. In a saucepan, cook sausage and onion until brown and tender; drain off excess fat. Stir in undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, mushrooms, oregano, garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and dash pepper. Simmer, covered, for 5 minutes
• 2. Meanwhile, stir together flour, cornmeal, Parmesan cheese, sugar, baking powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Make well in center of dry ingredients; add milk, oil and egg, stirring until combined.
• 3. Spread batter in bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Spoon tomato mixture on top. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Sprinkle Cheddar cheese and parsley on top. Bake 5 minutes more. Serves 8.