RHUBARB, CINNAMON POLENTA CAKE

You can use either the coarse polenta or instant polenta, but coarse polenta will give a greater contrast in texture. Recipe from Nigel Slater.

Ingredients for the filling:
500g rhubarb
50-100g caster sugar (depends on how sweet you like your rhubarb)
4 Tbsp water

Ingredients for the crust:
125g polenta
200g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 pinch cinnamon or more to taste
150g caster sugar
Grated zest of small orange
150g butter – cut into small pieces
1 large egg
2-4 Tbsp milk

Set the oven to 180C and put in a baking tray to get it hot. Lightly oil or butter a loose bottomed springform cake tin. Cut the rhubarb into short pieces and place in a baking dish. Scatter over sugar and water and bake for 30-40 mins until the rhubarb is soft but has retained its shape. Remove the rhubarb and place in sieve to drain. Reserve the rhubarb juice to serve with the cake.

Put the polenta, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and caster sugar in a food processor. Add grated orange zest and butter till you have something that looks vaguely like breadcrumbs. Break the egg into a bowl and mix with 2 tablespoons of the milk then blend into crumble mix. Take care not to over mix, stop as soon as you have a soft slightly sticky dough - if it isn’t sticky add a little more milk.

Press two thirds of the mixture into the cake tin, pressing it a couple of centimetres up the sides with a floured fork. Make sure there are no large holes or cracks. Place drained rhubarb on top, leaving a small rim around the edge. Crumble lumps of remaining mixture over the fruit - don’t worry if the rhubarb isn’t entirely covered. Place on the hot baking sheet and bake for 40-50 mins and then allow to cool a little before trying to attempt to remove it from the tin. Serve in slices with the reserved rhubarb juice, custard, ice cream or a good amount of cream.