Pistachio, Lemon & Polenta Cake, Orange Marmalade Ice Cream Recipe

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.

Dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup fine cornmeal, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir in 1 cup finely ground pistachios until evenly distributed.

Cream butter and sugar

In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat 3/4 cup softened unsalted butter (or vegan butter) with 3/4 cup granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes.

Add eggs and flavorings

Add the eggs one at a time (or prepared flax 'eggs' for the Vg option), mixing briefly after each addition. Scrape down the bowl, then mix in 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp lemon zest and 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice.

Combine wet and dry

With the mixer on low, add one-third of the dry mixture, then half of 1/2 cup milk; continue alternating dry mixture and milk, ending with the dry mixture. Mix until just combined. Fold in 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (or plant yogurt) until incorporated. Do not overmix.

Bake

Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Scatter 1/4 cup roughly chopped pistachios over the top. Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake is golden and slightly springy.

Cool

Allow cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use the parchment overhang to lift the cake from the pan and transfer to the rack to cool completely, about 45–60 minutes. Dust with 1 tbsp powdered sugar if desired before serving.

Prep marmalade

If your marmalade is very thick, warm 1/2 cup orange marmalade with 1 tbsp fresh orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until slightly loose. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Make custard base

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup whole milk and 1 tbsp orange zest. Heat over medium until steam appears and small bubbles form at the edges; do not boil. Meanwhile, whisk 3 large egg yolks with 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a bowl until pale.

Temper and thicken

Slowly pour about 1/3 of the hot cream into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper the yolks. Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining cream. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spoon (about 170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil.

Strain and chill

Remove the custard from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cooled orange marmalade and 1/8 tsp salt. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any cooked bits and zest. Cover with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent a skin and chill in the refrigerator until cold, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Churn

Once cold, churn the mixture in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions until it reaches a soft-serve consistency (about 20–25 minutes). If you don't have an ice cream maker, pour into a shallow container and freeze, stirring every 30 minutes until smooth and frozen, about 3–4 hours.

Harden

Transfer churned ice cream to a lidded container and freeze for at least 2 hours to firm up before serving.

Slice the cooled pistachio, lemon & polenta cake into 8 slices. Place a slice on each serving plate.

Scoop 1 generous scoop (about 1/2 cup) of orange marmalade ice cream and place alongside the cake. If desired, spoon a small extra drizzle (1–2 tsp) of warmed marmalade over the ice cream.

Garnish each plate with a sprinkle of extra chopped pistachios and an optional lemon wedge. Serve immediately so the ice cream remains firm.