Amor polenta cake–or Dolce di Varese – from Lombardy has a light amber hue, a result of how the dough incorporates cornflour. Carlo Zamberletti, a historic confectioner from Varese, is believed to be the hands behind the dessert, creating it to highlight local ingredients. Since then, amor polenta has become the symbolic sweet from Varese.
Delicious any time of day
This soft delicate cake, which contains no added cream, suits any moment of the day. Its texture is delightful for dipping in tea or milk — but it also tastes excellent on its own. The polenta cornflour, both in the dough and sprinkled on the surface, adds a particular flavor as well as a slightly grainy texture.
Almonds in the dough for vitamins, minerals, and protein
Amor polenta contains polenta cornflour and toasted almonds chopped so finely that they become flour. The good news? Almonds contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and protein along with being rich in vitamin E, unsaturated acids, which protect the body from oxidative processes, and magnesium, which promotes a healthy heart and circulatory system.
Our recipe for amor polenta
Ingredients:
1 stick butter, softened and at room temperature
1 cup superfine caster sugar (or powdered sugar)
A pinch of salt
⅔ cup polenta cornflour, plus a little for dusting
⅔ cup all-purpose flour
⅔ cup roasted almonds, peeled
1 tsp. baking powder
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
Powdered sugar, to garnish
2 tablespoons of Italian Strega liqueur (or an herbal liqueur)
Method:
Use an electric hand mixer to whip the sugar with the butter. Add a pinch of salt and once the mixture becomes creamy, add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing until combined.
Separately, mince the peeled almonds to make a fine flour. Combine with the all-purpose flour and the baking powder in a bowl and mix. Then add the flours to the egg, sugar, and butter mixture a little at a time, followed by the liqueur.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a semi-cylindrical mold and dust it with polenta cornflour. For this step, use a small brush to make sure the cornflour sticks to the entire surface. Once the mold is buttered and floured, add the cake batter, leveling it out evenly across the surface. Place in the oven and bake for around 40 minutes. (If you have a ventilated oven, set the temperature to 325°F and bake for 30 minutes.)
Before removing the cake from the oven, pierce it with a toothpick to make sure the dough is cooked through. Wait until the cake has cooled completely before removing it from the oven, then dust with powdered sugar before serving.