Iced lemon polenta traybake
BASIC RECIPE
Iced lemon polenta traybake
POLENTA CAKE
MAKES 1 TRAY FOR SLICING
180g unsalted butter, softened and diced, plus extra for the tin
200g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs
finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
130g ground almonds
2 tsp baking powder, sifted
100g fine polenta (for example Holland & Barrett Maize Meal)
ICING
150g icing sugar, sifted
2 tbsp lemon juice
ON TOP
Freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries or crushed raspberry powder to decorate
Preheat the oven to 190C/ 170C fan/gas 5. Butter and line a traybake tin about 25cm x 20cm x 4cm deep or similar brownie tin. Place all the cake ingredients in the bowl of a food processor with the metal blade attachment. Whiz on full power for 10 seconds. Do not overmix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and pulse briefly for 10 seconds until smooth.
Transfer the mixture to the tin, smooth the surface and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted at the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin before removing.
In a large bowl, combine the icing sugar and lemon juice to a thin icing. Lightly coat the top of the cake using a palette knife. Scatter with freeze-dried strawberries or raspberries or crushed raspberry powder and leave to set for 1-2 hours. Slice into squares – whatever size you fancy.
Lemon-scented syrup cake
Lemon-scented syrup cake
MAKES 1 x 20CM CAKE
Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.
Butter a loose-bottomed 20cm cake tin about 7cm deep and line the base. Make the polenta cake mixture according to the basic recipe (top), transfer to the tin, smooth the top and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden and risen and a skewer inserted at the centre comes out clean.
While the cake is baking, combine the finely grated zest of a lemon with 100ml lemon juice and 50g golden caster sugar in a small pan, bring to a simmer and allow to bubble for 5 minutes, then set aside.
Once the cake is out of the oven, drizzle the syrup evenly over the top, run a knife around the sides and leave to cool in the tin before removing.
Lemon polenta loaf
Lemon polenta loaf
MAKES 1 X 22CM LOAF
Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Butter a 22cm nonstick loaf tin (about 1.3 litre capacity) and line the base with baking paper.
Make the polenta cake mixture as for the basic recipe (top), transfer to the tin, smoothing the surface, and bake for
50-60 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted at the centre comes out clean. Run a knife around the edge, leave to cool for 10 minutes, then turn it on to a cake rack, peel off the base paper and leave to cool the right way up. Make the icing as in the basic recipe and use to ice the top of the loaf, letting it run down the sides. If wished, decorate the top with edible spring flowers, for example violas.
AND FOR A showstopping topping…
ROSE PETALS, £1.99, waitrose.com, and VIOLET SUGAR, £3.95, souschef.co.uk
FREEZE-DRIED FRUIT £8 for pack of eight, thesnackorg.com, and EDIBLE FLOWERS, £3.49, ocado.com. Make like a pro pastry chef