Whole-fruit Polenta Cake and Berry Sauce
By OcadoLife
Published on 04 October 2023
This Whole-fruit Polenta Cake and Berry Sauce, from zero-waste chef Joe Woodhouse, not only uses whole lemons to give it a lovely fragrance, but also whole strawberries – including the leaves, which add a mildly herbal flavour to the zingy sauce. It’s gluten- and dairy-free, and makes a great summer dessert served with ice cream, yoghurt or whipped cream. Looking for more baking recipes? Look no further.Time and servings
2 hrs 35 minsTotal time
8Servings
15 minsPrep time
1 hr 40 minsCooking time
Ingredients
- 2 unwaxed lemons
- 450g strawberries, roughly chopped (leaves and all)
- 250g raspberries
- 5 medium eggs, beaten
- 100g ground polenta
- 100g ground almonds
- 175g caster sugar
- 1 scoop ice cream, yoghurt or whipped cream, to serve (optional)
Method
Step 1
Boil the lemons in a pan of water for 1 hr until soft. Remove them with a slotted spoon and blitz in a blender to a purée. Set aside to cool completely. (Reserve the lemon water and chill it for drinking.)Step 2
To make the sauce, put all the strawberry leaves in a blender with half the strawberry fruit. Add half the raspberries and blitz until smooth; cover and chill.Step 3
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm cast-iron skillet or cake tin with baking paper. In a mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to combine the eggs, polenta, ground almonds, sugar and puréed lemon. Fold through the remaining berries, then pour the mixture into the prepared pan or tin. Bake for 40-50 mins, until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean – rotate 180° halfway through.Step 4
For the best flavour and texture, leave the cake to cool. Serve slices of cake with a little berry sauce poured over the top, with ice cream, yoghurt or whipped cream on the side, if you like.