Estia's Little Kitchen Polenta Apple Cake Recipe by Chef Colin Ambrose

Like denim jackets and pumpkin spice, apples are all the rave in October. Frankly, the month should just be renamed Appletober. Here, Chef Colin Ambrose of Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor creatively utilizes the fruit of the month in this delicious polenta apple cake recipe.

Estia’s Little Kitchen Polenta Apple Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups polenta
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
3 cups brown sugar
10 eggs (separate 5 for whipped egg whites)
1 pound unsalted butter (soft)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pint ricotta cheese
1 cup buttermilk
12 crisp, tart apples
2 cups apple cider
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 cups brown sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup unsalted butter

Instructions:

Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl and gently stir.

Dice all apples, place in a large sauté pan over medium flame with butter then stir, add apple cider and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain, separating apples and liquid. Refrigerate the apples and set the liquid on a counter top, cool to room temp.

Whip five egg whites until stiff.

In a mixing bowl fit with a paddle, combine soft butter with brown sugar, vanilla, pinch of salt and five egg yolks mixed with five whole eggs.

Slowly add all dry ingredients running the mixer at low speed. Once all dry ingredients are added to the bowl, add buttermilk and ricotta cheese, mix until smooth on low (1 minute).

Prepare three 8×4-inch pans with spray oil then dust lightly with flour.

Add batter evenly between 3 pans. Place 1/2 of the diced cooked apples to the top of each. Set the remaining half aside for plating.

Bake in preheated 350° degree oven for 90 minutes. Test with tooth pick before removing.

Plate warm cakes upside down on platters and pour apple/butter stock on the bottom of each. Rest at room temp until cool.

To serve, slice and serve with the cooked apples and whipped cream.

Enjoy!

This polenta apple cake recipe comes to us courtesy of Estia’s Little Kitchen in Sag Harbor (1615 Sag Harbor Turnpike), estias.com.