Orange, polenta and olive oil cake with mascarpone and thyme Recipe

Name: Orange, polenta and olive oil cake with mascarpone and thyme
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: Serves 10-12
Ingredients: 5 large unwaxed oranges; 220ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing; 290g caster sugar; 240g fine ground polenta; 1½ tsp baking powder; 190g ground almonds; 4 free-range eggs, beaten; 200g mascarpone; 60g icing sugar; ½ small bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked; For the caramel; 50g caster sugar; You will also need; 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin; Ingredient ending

Ingredients

5 large unwaxed oranges
220ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
290g caster sugar
240g fine ground polenta
1½ tsp baking powder
190g ground almonds
4 free-range eggs, beaten
200g mascarpone
60g icing sugar
½ small bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked
For the caramel
50g caster sugar
You will also need
23cm loose-bottomed cake tin
Ingredient ending

	PREP TIME 30m	COOK TIME 1h15m	TOTAL TIME 1h45m
YIELD Serves 10-12

Instructions

Heat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/ gas 3½. Put 2 of the oranges in a large saucepan and pour over cold water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes until soft when pierced with a sharp knife. Cut out the green stalks, then whizz in a food processor to a smooth pure?e. Set aside. Line the base of a 23cm loose- bottomed cake tin with baking paper, then oil well. Sprinkle 10g of the 290g caster sugar over the base of the tin. Remove the peel and white pith from the remaining oranges with a paring knife, then slice them into even rings, removing any seeds. Collect any juice that runs out in a small bowl and mix in the 50g sugar (for the caramel).
Layer the orange slices, overlapping, in the tin on top of the sugar to cover the base completely. Mix together the polenta, baking powder, almonds and remaining 280g sugar in a bowl, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the 220ml olive oil and the orange pure?e. Once the mixture is smooth, carefully pour it over the oranges, trying not to dislodge the pattern.
Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Cool for at least an hour before turning out.
Whisk the mascarpone with the icing sugar in a bowl, add half the picked thyme leaves and set aside. Pour the orange juice and sugar mixture with a splash of water into a small non-stick frying pan and cook over a medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, without stirring, until a golden caramel forms. Cool slightly, then brush it over the orange slices.
Scatter the remaining thyme over the cake and serve in slices with the mascarpone on the side.

Desserts