comeback number two featuring a polenta thyme cake

So..this is comeback number two. I'm not going to tell you the whole long sob story about why I haven't been blogging of late, but what I will tell you is that Ella Pang is back for good. No more excuses from this end. Starting....now. 

I'm going to jump right into it with this tasty simple cake that's sure to get your butt of the couch. Its crunchy this first day you make it, and more cornbread-y the second day. These low to the table, crisply-edged cakes are all I want to make right now. even though the cake isn't tall, it packs a huge flavor punch worthy of some much bigger creation. I daresay that the cake would be just as well-received as a chocolate layer cake, only, and here's the great part: you only had to buy a third of the ingredients, only had to spend less than half the time, and you could slide it into the oven as dinner went on the table. Converted yet?

There are hundreds of variations, some more Italian tasting, some more french. Hopefully soon, I'll be posting another recipe of a similar "simple Swedish cake" baked in a skillet. It too, is amazing.

 This cake will make anyone who walks through your front door stop and start to follow their nose to the oven. It will make fathers and brothers an sisters and even dogs, beg for a crumb after it outs of the oven. You have been forewarned. Maybe its the shards of butter you scatter over the batter as it bakes...who knows.

Polenta Thyme Cottage Cheese Cake
adapted from fluted Polenta and ricotta cake recipe from
Dorie Greenspan's Baking: from my home to yours

*if you can't be bothered to get both kinds of cottage cheese, you can just use one or the other. If you use all chunky cottage cheese, you will have to mash the cottage cheese bits after you beat it with the water.

about 16 moist plump dried figs(stemmed), apricots, peaches, or pears, or a mix
3/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup medium grain polenta or yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup smooth cottage cheese*
1/2 cup chunky cottage cheese*
1/3 tepid water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup honey
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 stick (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 1 Tablespoon cut into bits and chilled
2 large eggs


Center a rack in the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit or 160 degrees celsius. Butter a 10 inch cake tin, if you have one. Otherwise, use a 9 inch pan bearing in mind your cake may need to bake a little longer than if it was in the 10 inch. Line the bottom of whatever pan you use with parchment paper and butter that too.

At this time, check that your dried fruit of choice is plump. If it isn't juicy, soak in boiling water for a minute or so until juicy. Snip into bite-size pieces with kitchen shears. Toss with thyme.

Whisk the polenta, flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium sized bowl.

Working with a hand mixer, or with an arm and a whisk, beat cottage cheeses and water on low speed until smooth. Raising the speed to medium, add the sugar, honey, and lemon zest and beat until light. Add eggs, one at a time, until thoroughly incorporated. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the dry ingredients. You will have a sleek, pourable batter.

Pour about one-third of the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the dried fruit over the top. Pour the remaining batter over the fruit and smooth the top if it looks too uneven. Sprinkle the chilled butter over the top and slide cake into the oven.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. the cake should be honey-brown and pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan. Transfer cake to a cooling rack and run a knife around the edge.

After about 20 minutes, turn cake out of pan and serve which still slightly warm. Enjoy with a large dollop of unsweetened whipped cream.