Unsalted butter; for cake
-rings
All-purpose flour; for cake
-rings
1 3/4 c Yellow cornmeal
1 c Milk
1 c Sugar
1/4 ts Salt
Grated zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 orange
24 Apricot halves in syrup -;
-(two 8 1/2 oz
Cans)
4 lg Eggs; separated
3 tb Olive oil
12 Whole unblanched almonds
1/2 c Honey; lavender honey is
-preferable
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment. Butter and
flour twelve 3- by 1 1/2-inch cake rings; set on parchment. Place
cornmeal in a large mixing bowl, set aside. In a small saucepan,
combine milk, sugar, salt, and orange zest. Set over medium-high
heat, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Slowly pour the
hot-milk mixture over the cornmeal, incorporating with a fork. Cover
with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm place 30 minutes. Add the
orange juice. Place the apricot halves on paper towels, and let
drain. One at a time, add the egg yolks to the cornmeal mixture,
stirring after each addition. Stir in the olive oil. In a medium
bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and shiny. Fold into cornmeal
mixture. Center one apricot half, cut-side up, in each cake ring.
Pour 1/2 cup batter into each ring. Bake 5 minutes, and remove from
oven. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Place another apricot, cut-side up,
in each ring, and place an almond in the center of each apricot.
Return to oven, and bake until tops are golden brown, about 25
minutes. Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack; let cool 5 minutes.
Remove rings, and cool completely. Drizzle cakes with honey; serve.
Makes 12.
Cuisine: “Mexican”
Yields
12 servings