Blood
Orange Upside-Down Cake
By Amelia Saltsman and Sterling Epicure
THE
SEASONAL JEWISH KITCHEN: A Fresh Take on Tradition, Amelia
Saltsman takes us far beyond deli meats and kugel to a
universally appealing world of diverse flavors ideal for
modern meals. Inspired by the farm-to-table movement,
her 150 recipes offer a refreshingly different take on
traditional and contemporary Jewish cooking. Amelia traces
the thread of Jewish cuisine from its ancient roots to
today's focus on seasonality and sustainability. She draws
on her own rich food history to create a warmly personal
cookbook filled with soul-satisfying spins on beloved
classics and bold, new dishes. Here's one we're happy
to share with you.
BLOOD
ORANGE AND OLIVE OIL POLENTA UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
MAKES
ONE 10-BY-2-INCH (25-BY-5-CM) CAKE; 12 SERVINGS
MEAT
Syrup-soaked cakes, usually made with semolina and called
tishpishti or namoura, are popular throughout the Middle
East. With its stained-glass effect from the variegated
colors of blood oranges, this upside-down cake, which
gets its nubbly texture from sunny cornmeal, is drenched
in a sophisticated ruby-red blood-orange syrup. Use fine-grind
cornmeal or polenta; stone-ground meal doesn't get tender
enough in baking.
FOR
THE CAKE
Ingredients:
4 Blood Oranges
2⁄3 cup (145 g) packed Light Brown Sugar
1 cup (125 g) unbleached All-purpose Flour
2⁄3 cup (105 g) Cornmeal (not stone-ground)
1 tspn. Baking Powder
3/4 tspn.n Salt
2⁄3 cup (165 ml) Extra-Virgin oOlive Oil, (plus
more for the pan)
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated Sugar
3 eggs
FOR
THE SYRUP
Ingredients:
1/2 packet (1⁄8 ounce/3.5 g) Unflavored Gelatin
3 tbls. granulated Sugar
2 tbls. Cointreau
1 tbls. Fresh Lemon Juice
Procedures:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2.
Using a Microplane grater, grate zest from 2 of the blood
oranges and reserve. Juice the 2 oranges and reserve.
Cut both ends off of each of the remaining 2 oranges,
then cut each orange crosswise into rounds _ to 1/16 inch
(3 to 2 mm) thick. Cut all but one of the slices in half
and discard any center pith.
3.
Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the bottom of a flameproof
and ovenproof 10-inch (25-cm) skillet (a well-seasoned
cast-iron skillet is perfect) and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons
of the orange juice. Heat skillet over medium-low heat
until most of the sugar is bubbling. Remove from the heat.
4.
Starting at the outer edge of the pan, lay the halved
orange slices in the melted sugar with the "scalloped"
edge of each slice touching the edge of the pan. Fit as
many orange slices as you can into the circle, pinching
their corners as you set them into the hot sugar (use
a knife point or tongs to adjust the fruit as needed).
Some slices will have a "prettier" side; make
sure those are placed face down in the sugar. Arrange
the remaining halved orange slices in concentric circles
toward the center, finishing with the reserved whole slice
in the center.
5.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking
powder, and salt. In an electric mixer fitted with the
paddle attachment, beat together the oil and granulated
sugar on medium speed until thickened and golden. Add
the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
until mixture is thick and creamy gold, 3 to 5 minutes
total. Beat in the zest and 1 tablespoon of the juice.
On low speed, add the flour mixture in three batches,
beating after each addition just until blended.
6.
Pour batter evenly over the orange slices and gently smooth
the top. Bake the cake until golden brown, the top springs
back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the center
comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan
on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a thin-bladed knife
around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake sides.
Invert a serving plate over the cake, invert the pan and
plate together, and lift off the pan. If any fruit sticks
to the pan, loosen it with a spatula and place it on the
cake. While the cake is hot, use a fork or bamboo skewer
to make holes in it without going all the way through.
7.
While the cake is baking, make the soaking syrup. Fill
a medium bowl one-third full with ice and a little water
and nestle a smaller bowl, preferably metal, in the ice
bath. Pour 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the remaining orange juice
into a small pot, sprinkle the gelatin on top, and let
soften for 5 minutes. Stir granulated sugar, Cointreau,
and lemon juice into the remaining orange juice, then
stir the mixture into the softened gelatin. Bring to a
simmer over medium heat and stir to dissolve sugar and
gelatin, about 1 minute. Do not allow to boil. Pour syrup
into the waiting bowl and stir from time to time until
it thickens to the consistency of maple syrup, about 15
minutes. Spoon or brush some of the syrup over the cake.
Allow it to soak in, then spoon or brush on more. Repeat
until you have used all the syrup.
8.
Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing, then
cut into wedges with a serrated offset knife to serve.
KITCHEN
NOTE: To cut picture-perfect cake slices, use
kitchen scissors to snip through the oranges first, then
follow that line with your knife to cut the cake. I learned
this trick from food stylist Karen Gillingham.
Recipes
reprinted by permission of Amelia Saltsman and Sterling
Epicure.
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