Choconancy- 04:29 pm PDT - Jan 5, 2000 -#1841 of 8762
member of the left coast bra rebellion

I think I promised to post this when my sister sent it. I can't remember. It's good, tho...

Chocolate Polenta Pudding Cake From "The Magazine of La Cucina Italiana" Adapted from The Italian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper (Scribner)

For the cake:
2 1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup coarsely ground polenta
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
butter for greasing the pan
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
grated zest of 1/2 large orange
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa

For the garnish:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
confectioner's sugar for dusting

Make the cake:
In a 2 quart saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Mix the polenta, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the salt in a metal bowl. Whisk in the hot milk until smooth. Wash out the pan. Fill it two-thirds full of water, and bring to a simmer. Cover the bowl of polenta with foil, set it over the water, and cook for 40 minutes. The polenta will become thick and stiff. Stir 3 or 4 times as it cools; remove the bowl from the water.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). Butter an 8" springform pan. Finely chop three quarters of the chocolate; cut the rest into 1" chunks. Add the finely chopped chocolate, the orange zest, cinnamon, pepper, egg yolks, and vanilla to the cooled polenta. Place 1 cup of this mixture in a second bowl and stir the cream into it; set aside.

In a large bowl, whip the egg whites until frothy. Beat in 3 tablespoons of the remaining sugar; whip until soft peaks form. Fold one-quarter of the whites into the non-cream chocolate polenta mixture, then fold in the rest, leaving a few white streaks. Fold in the chocolate chunks with one or two strokes. Pour half the batter into the prepared springform pan. Using a spoon, hollow out the center of the batter so that the cream-polenta mixture will sit in a pocket and add the cream-polenta mixture. Cover with the rest of the batter. Sift the cocoa over the top and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bake 1 hour, or until a knife inserted at the edge comes out with moist crumbs but with creamy streaks when put into the center. Cool on a rack 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the optional garnish (if desired.) Whip the cream with the sugar until just thickened. Release the sides of the pan and set the cake on a plate. Serve cut into slices, warm or at room temperature, dusted with the confectioners sugar and accompanied by the sweetened whipped cream. Serves 10.