BUTTERMILK RICOTTA AND PEACH CAKE
PG tested
Frozen firm-ripe peaches work beautifully here in an off-season time like now. If you are watching your budget, use 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract instead of the vanilla bean.
After about 40 minutes, I moved the rack to the middle of the oven and baked the cake for 8 minutes. The cake set perfectly and showed off a golden brown crumb.
For preparing the pan, make Pan Goo by whisking together ¼ cup neutral oil and ⅓ cup all-purpose flour. Then brush it onto the pan.
For the ricotta
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup buttermilk 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon coarse salt
For the cake
1¼ cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 large eggs 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 cup sliced firm- ripe peaches, ½-inch thick
In a small saucepan, combine milk, cream and buttermilk over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 200 degrees on a candy thermometer and curds begin to form, about 15 minutes.
Add lemon juice and give it one last stir. Then remove the pan from the heat and let it sit undisturbed for 30 minutes.
Stir in the salt. Drain the curds in the refrigerator overnight through a triple layer of cheesecloth set in a colander over a bowl. The cheese should be firm enough to just hold its shape and measure a little over 1 cup when it’s ready.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the upper-third position. Brush a 9inch springform pan Pan Goo.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk the ricotta. ¾ cup sugar, eggs, butter, vanilla seeds and lemon zest until the mixture is rich and creamy.
Stir the dry ingredients into the ricotta mixture until just combined. Then scrape the batter into the pan.
Scatter the sliced peaches on top of the batter and sprinkle with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar.
Bake the cake until the edges are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs, about 45 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes before removing the collar from the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Makes 10 to 12 servings. — “Fruit Cake: Recipes for the Curious Baker” by Jason Schreiber (William Morrow;
November 2020)