Lemon and pistachio polenta cake with gin-macerated strawberries [gluten-free]
List of ingredients
Serves 10
300g strawberries, hulled and halved
A squeeze of lemon juice
1 tbsp gin
1 tsp caster sugar
220g soft butter
220g golden caster sugar
200g ground almonds
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
¾ tsp baking powder
Zest of 2 lemons
Juice of half a lemon
110g polenta
Pinch of salt
4 tbsp pistachios, roughly chopped
Sommelier’s tip
Chablis
The beauty of this cake is that it isn’t too sweet; rather, it’s dense and buttery and crumbly, perfect against the flinty mineral notes of the Chablis. This cake is a very pleasant way to end the meal, on a fresh, bright, citrus note.
METHOD
First, put the strawberries in a bowl and toss with the lemon juice, gin and caster sugar. Set aside. Pre-heat the oven to 160C. Grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin.
In an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on a high speed until thick and creamy. Add the almonds and vanilla extract, then beat for a couple more minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each, then fold in the baking powder, lemon juice and zest, polenta and salt.
Pour into the prepared tin. Scatter the strawberries over the top, followed by the pistachios. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, or until the cake is firm with only the slightest wobble. Allow to cool in the tin then remove and serve.
![Lemon and pistachio polenta cake with gin-macerated strawberries [gluten-free] a](/gallery_images/site/25259/25308/25332/25896/64986.JPG)
The author of this recipe
Elly McCausland is the winner of the Chablis Blogger Challenge 2014. She is a PhD student in children's literature and food writer based in York. Her culinary interests include breakfast, British puddings, south east Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine, which she explores on her food blog 'Nutmegs, seven'.
www.nutmegsseven.co.uk / @nutmegs_seven
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