...OR, Glorified Corn Muffins.
When I first saw the designated recipe of the week, I thought it was going to be delicious. I like figs. The rest of the ingredients sounded delicious and complimentary. I made it right away, and after a series of mishaps, came out with something different than what I imagined.
I didn't have the right sized tart pan, so I tried to fit all the batter into four small tart pans (!? What was I thinking???) I eventually gave up on trying to use all the batter, but the tarts were all a little too full. I thought they'd be okay and wouldn't overflow (?! Idiot.) and didn't bother putting a cookie sheet underneath to catch the mess that the cakes were about to make of my oven (think that was because my cookie sheets had gotten stuck in the oven drawer and I couldn't retrieve anything from that drawer until a few days later, when I tilted the oven back and shook it really hard to loosen the mess of baking pans. Oops.) After about 30 minutes, my oven was smoking and I couldn't wait any longer. I had to pull out the cakes. They were only slightly underdone, but I don't think that mattered much in the end. I took my first bite and wondered why I ever thought I'd enjoy a honey cake. The only time I want anything to do with honey is when I can't taste its flavor, only its sweetness, or when it's mixed with A LOT of butter on top of some form of fried dough or fresh-baked bread.
When I first saw the designated recipe of the week, I thought it was going to be delicious. I like figs. The rest of the ingredients sounded delicious and complimentary. I made it right away, and after a series of mishaps, came out with something different than what I imagined.
I didn't have the right sized tart pan, so I tried to fit all the batter into four small tart pans (!? What was I thinking???) I eventually gave up on trying to use all the batter, but the tarts were all a little too full. I thought they'd be okay and wouldn't overflow (?! Idiot.) and didn't bother putting a cookie sheet underneath to catch the mess that the cakes were about to make of my oven (think that was because my cookie sheets had gotten stuck in the oven drawer and I couldn't retrieve anything from that drawer until a few days later, when I tilted the oven back and shook it really hard to loosen the mess of baking pans. Oops.) After about 30 minutes, my oven was smoking and I couldn't wait any longer. I had to pull out the cakes. They were only slightly underdone, but I don't think that mattered much in the end. I took my first bite and wondered why I ever thought I'd enjoy a honey cake. The only time I want anything to do with honey is when I can't taste its flavor, only its sweetness, or when it's mixed with A LOT of butter on top of some form of fried dough or fresh-baked bread.
So, a bit of a downer this week. At one point I went through the list of recipes that were chosen before I jumped on the TWD bandwagon and made a promise to myself to try some of those recipes instead of (or along with) what the group has chosen. It's always good to have a Plan B, right?
Fluted Polenta and Ricotta Cake
About 16 moist, plump dried Mission or Kadota figs, stemmed
1 c. medium-grain polenta or yellow cornmeal
½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 c. ricotta
1/3 c. tepid water
¾ c. sugar
¾ c. honey (if you’re a real honey lover, use a full-flavored honey such as chestnut, pine, or buckwheat)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs
Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10 ½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Check that the figs are, indeed, moist and plump. If they are the least bit hard, toss them into a small pan of boiling water and steep for a minute, then drain and pat dry. If the figs are large (bigger than a bite), snip them in half.
Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the ricotta and water together on low speed until very smooth. With the mixer at medium speed, add the sugar, honey, and lemon zest and beat until light. Beat in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are fully incorporated. You’ll have a sleek, smooth, pourable batter.
Pour about one third of the batter into the pan and scatter over the figs. Pour in the rest of the batter, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, if necessary, and dot the batter evenly with the chilled bits of butter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should be honey brown and pulling away just a little from the sides of the panm, and the butter will have left light-colored circles in the top. Transfer the cake to a rack and remove the sides of the pan after about 5 minutes. Cool to warm, or cool completely.
About 16 moist, plump dried Mission or Kadota figs, stemmed
1 c. medium-grain polenta or yellow cornmeal
½ c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 c. ricotta
1/3 c. tepid water
¾ c. sugar
¾ c. honey (if you’re a real honey lover, use a full-flavored honey such as chestnut, pine, or buckwheat)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 large eggs
Getting Ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10 ½-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.
Check that the figs are, indeed, moist and plump. If they are the least bit hard, toss them into a small pan of boiling water and steep for a minute, then drain and pat dry. If the figs are large (bigger than a bite), snip them in half.
Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder, and salt together.
Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the ricotta and water together on low speed until very smooth. With the mixer at medium speed, add the sugar, honey, and lemon zest and beat until light. Beat in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until the mixture is smooth. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until they are fully incorporated. You’ll have a sleek, smooth, pourable batter.
Pour about one third of the batter into the pan and scatter over the figs. Pour in the rest of the batter, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, if necessary, and dot the batter evenly with the chilled bits of butter.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The cake should be honey brown and pulling away just a little from the sides of the panm, and the butter will have left light-colored circles in the top. Transfer the cake to a rack and remove the sides of the pan after about 5 minutes. Cool to warm, or cool completely.
6 comments:
Sorry it didn't come together like you hoped but there's always next week! ;)
Clara @ I♥food4thought
Ohhhhhh, testify! I didn't like this recipe, either. On to the PB Torte!
Rebecca
http://www.ezrapoundcake.com
Ha! I thought I was the only one that would ignore a drawer for a few days because something was stuck and I couldn't open it : ) I loved your story. It made me laugh. Just don't be like me and not bother to clean the oven so that the smoke alarm goes off every time I bake for the next 2 months ; )
That's too bad really. That's why I made it with maple syrup instead of honey, I thought it might taste too strong with the honey. Your plan B sounds great though! :)
Good on you for trying something new!
Sounds like a rough day in the kitchen.
Yay for plan B!
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