Cornmeal Cake with Black Cherry Compote

Cornmeal Cake with Black Cherry Compote
Cornmeal Cake with Black Cherry Compote
(LOU MIAS AVEC COMPOTE DE CERISES NOIRES) Traditionally, this cake—a Christmas specialty of the town of Séguret in the Vaucluse — is made with goat's milk (look for it in the supermarket dairy case), but feel free to use cow's milk.
  • Preparing Time: -
  • Total Time: -
  • Served Person: Serves 8 to 10
French Cake Dairy Fruit Dessert Bake French Provençal Cherry Bon Appétit Kidney Friendly Vegetarian Pescatarian Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free Kosher
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  • yellow cornmeal
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Preparation Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9 x 5x 2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. Dust with cornmeal; tap out excess. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into heavy medium saucepan; add bean. Add milk, butter, lemon peel and salt. Bring to simmer, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in 1 cup cornmeal. Transfer to medium bowl. Mix in honey and 3 tablespoons sugar. Cool to just lukewarm, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Discard vanilla bean. Whisk in yolks. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over whites and beat until medium-soft peaks form. Gently fold whites into cornmeal mixture in 2 additions. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until top cracks and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will fall in center). Turn out onto plate. Using sharp serrated knife, cut cake into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Place 1 slice on each plate. Top with Black Cherry Compote.

Preparation Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9 x 5x 2 1/2-inch metal loaf pan. Dust with cornmeal; tap out excess. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into heavy medium saucepan; add bean. Add milk, butter, lemon peel and salt. Bring to simmer, stirring until butter melts. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk in 1 cup cornmeal. Transfer to medium bowl. Mix in honey and 3 tablespoons sugar. Cool to just lukewarm, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Discard vanilla bean. Whisk in yolks. Using electric mixer, beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over whites and beat until medium-soft peaks form. Gently fold whites into cornmeal mixture in 2 additions. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until top cracks and tester inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will fall in center). Turn out onto plate. Using sharp serrated knife, cut cake into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Place 1 slice on each plate. Top with Black Cherry Compote.