Country Corn Cake with Cognac Currants and Pine Nuts Recipe
Ingredients
| Currants | 100 Gram | |
| Cognac | 50 Milliliter | |
| Corn polenta | 400 Gram | |
| Plain flour | 100 Gram | |
| Baking powder | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Salt | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Olive oil | 125 Milliliter | |
| 4 oranges, to give 250 ml (8 fl oz) juice | ||
| Finely grated zest of 2 oranges | ||
| 2 medium-sized eggs, separated | ||
| Sugar | 2 Tablespoon | |
| Pine nuts | 100 Gram | |
| LEMON SYRUP | ||
| Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons | ||
| Cognac | 2 Tablespoon | |
| Sugar | 500 Gram | |
Directions
Make the syrup a day ahead.
Put the lemon zest and juice in asaucepan with 124 ml (4 floz) water.
Add the sugar and bring slowly to the boil to dissolve, then boil for 10 minutes.
Chill overnight, then stir in 2 tablespoons cognac.
Soak the currants overnight in 50 ml (2 fl oz) cognac.
Sift the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Heat the olive oil and pour into the flour, mixing everything thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
Make a well in the dough.
Add the orange zest and 250 ml (8 fl oz) orange juice, the beaten egg yolks, and 2 tablespoons sugar and beat together, adding enough warm water to make a thickish smooth batter.
Stir in the currants with the cognac and the pine nuts, until evenly incorporated.
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the mixture.
Turn into a deep oiled baking tin, about 25 x 20 cm (10 x 8 in).
Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F gas 4) for about 40-45 minutes until brown, when a skewer should come out clean.
Cool for a few minutes and cut the cake into 16 slices or diamond shapes.
Pour ice-cold syrup over it.
Put the lemon zest and juice in asaucepan with 124 ml (4 floz) water.
Add the sugar and bring slowly to the boil to dissolve, then boil for 10 minutes.
Chill overnight, then stir in 2 tablespoons cognac.
Soak the currants overnight in 50 ml (2 fl oz) cognac.
Sift the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl.
Heat the olive oil and pour into the flour, mixing everything thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
Make a well in the dough.
Add the orange zest and 250 ml (8 fl oz) orange juice, the beaten egg yolks, and 2 tablespoons sugar and beat together, adding enough warm water to make a thickish smooth batter.
Stir in the currants with the cognac and the pine nuts, until evenly incorporated.
Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the mixture.
Turn into a deep oiled baking tin, about 25 x 20 cm (10 x 8 in).
Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F gas 4) for about 40-45 minutes until brown, when a skewer should come out clean.
Cool for a few minutes and cut the cake into 16 slices or diamond shapes.
Pour ice-cold syrup over it.
Chef
