Polenta cake with mascarpone and rosemary

The name reads  really well – the sort of high maintenance dish that requires hours of dedicated work in the kitchen. The truth is that it is a lot easier to bake than it sounds… After all, it is a slightly modified pound cake, with 2 very easy elements on the side.  The cake itself has a pleasantly crumbly and grainy texture, ideal to combine with the rosemary infused honey. The creamy mascarpone sauce just makes everything come together. Try it with a double expresso for even better results…

Polenta cake with mascarpone and rosemary (adapted from a Eddie Russel recipe found in Food and Wine Magazine)

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 3/4  cup (=220g)  flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/2 cup (=65g)  polenta
• Pinch of salt
• 2 sticks (=220g) of unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (110g) of  sugar
• 6 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 

Rosemary syrup

• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 rosemary sprigs

Mascarpone sauce 

• 1 cup (=225g) mascarpone, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (200mL)  heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped

Method

Preheat the oven to 325°F (= 190°C). Butter and flour a metal loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the polenta and salt.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon juice.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, beating the batter at low speed until just incorporated. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour, until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

Turn the cake onto a rack and let it cool until warm.

In a small saucepan, combine the honey with the water and rosemary sprigs and simmer over moderate heat for 2 minutes. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprigs. While the cake is still warm, lightly brush the top of the cake with the rosemary syrup.

In a medium bowl, whisk the mascarpone with the cream, sugar and vanilla-bean seeds.

Using a serrated knife, cut the  cake into thick slices and transfer to plates. Top each slice with a large dollop of mascarpone, drizzle with the rosemary syrup and serve.