GLUTEN FREE LEMON AND PISTACHIO POLENTA CAKE
This recipe is an excellent example how, when you know the full rulebook, you can find loopholes to make things which don’t fit the mould. For example through knowing the limits of the creaming method (i.e that gluten is needed to trap the air created within the mechanical process of creamign the butter and sugar at the beginning of the recipe) we look to other methods to think outside the box. In this recipe, through utilising the ‘binding’ method for making cakes we remove the reliance on gluten to create a cake which use these classic cake ratios. It blew my tiny mind.
EQUIPMENT:
Oven set to 160°C + 20cm Cake tin
INGREDIENTS:
Pistachio Polenta Cake
240g Butter, cold and cubed + 270g Caster Sugar + 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract +Zest of 2 Lemons
140g Polenta +1 Tsp Baking Powder + Pinch Salt + 80g Blitzed Pistachio + 180g Ground Almond
3 Medium Eggs, room temperature + Juice of 2 Lemons
Lemon Soaking Syrup
Juice of 2 Lemons + 50g Water + 100g Caster Sugar
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
500g Cream Cheese + Zest of 2 Lemons + 50g Double Cream
Blitzed Pistachio nuts, for decoration (optional)
METHODS:
For the Pistachio polenta cake…
Mix the butter, caster sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until it comes together like a dough.* To prevent over-mixing this is best done by hand, almost pushing the ingredients together with the back of a wooden spoon or with a plastic dough-scraper. Mix the dry ingredients and then fold into the mix, ensuring not to overmix. Add the eggs and lemon juice in stages, a small amount at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated before adding the next batch. Finish by folding in the nuts. Spread the mixture evenly into your tin and bake for about 40 minutes until the cake is golden and a knife or toothpick comes out clean.
For the soaking syrup…
Bring everything to the boil, ensuring the sugar has dissolved. Keep warm until needed. Before you soak your sponge, dot the surface all over with a toothpick, soak the sponge straight from the oven while still in the tin and leave to cool.
To make the cream cheese frosting…
Mix the cream cheese to soften, add the zest and cream and mix until everything is nicely incorporated.
To decorate your cake, spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake and use a palette knife or the back of a spoon to decorate – making either uniform or random swirls, your choice! Sprinkle with blitzed pistachio nuts and serve
