CHOCOLATE POLENTA PUDDING CAKE
Serves 8
Ingredients
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 75g (½ cup) polenta 225g (1 cup) unsalted butter
• 225g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 20g (¼ cup) cocoa powder 6 eggs
• 250g (1 ¼ cups) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract powdered (icing) sugar, for dusting
This cake is somehow airy and light and rich and pudding-like all at once, with a little extra texture courtesy of the softened polenta.
Method
Preheat the oven to 175C. Lightly oil and line the base of a 23cm springform cake pan. Set aside. Pour 480ml (two cups) of water into a medium saucepan, add the salt and bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Add the polenta and cook, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking to the base of the pan. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes until most of the water has been absorbed.
Remove from the heat and add the butter and chocolate. Allow to sit for about five minutes, then stir until melted and well combined. Mix in the cocoa powder and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs and sugar until tripled in volume.
Gently fold half the mixture into the chocolate polenta, then fold in the rest until no traces of egg are visible, taking care not to overmix. Add the vanilla and give the mixture a quick stir to incorporate.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is dry and somewhat souffléd, with a bit of a jiggle in the centre. Remove from the oven and run a thin paring knife around the inside of the pan, then allow to cool completely at room temperature. The cake will sink slightly in the centre as it cools. Place the cake in the fridge overnight before releasing the side and removing it from the pan.
Use a sharp thin-bladed knife to cut the cake into slices, wiping the blade between cuts for a clean finish. Finish with a light dusting of powdered sugar and serve. The cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.