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Amor Polenta

17/11/2023

Amor Polenta, also known as Dolce Varese or sweet polenta, is a traditional Lombard dessert, particularly from the Varese area. It is an extremely soft cake made with fioretto corn flour, all-purpose flour, and potato starch, often baked in a characteristic striped mold that resembles the old plates for polenta.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 100 g of fioretto corn flour
  • 100 g of all-purpose flour
  • 100 g of potato starch
  • 200 g of soft butter
  • 200 g of granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 lemon (grated zest)
  • 1 sachet of baking powder
  • A pinch of salt
  • Powdered sugar (for decoration)
  • Butter and corn flour for the mold

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 170 °C (338 °F).
  2. Butter and flour (with the corn flour) the specific mold for Amor Polenta or a loaf pan if you do not have the classic one.
  3. Whisk the soft butter with sugar until you obtain a frothy and creamy mixture.
  4. Add the eggs, one at a time, continuing to stir after each addition, until you have a homogeneous mixture.
  5. Fold in the grated lemon zest to flavor the batter.
  6. In a separate bowl, combine the corn flour, all-purpose flour, potato starch, and a pinch of salt, then sift everything.
  7. Add the sifted flours to the mixture of butter, sugar, and eggs, mixing gently from the bottom up to avoid deflating the batter.
  8. Fold in the sifted baking powder and mix until the batter is uniform.
  9. Pour the batter into the prepared mold and level it with a spatula.
  10. Bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
  11. Remove the Amor Polenta from the oven and let it cool completely before unmolding.
  12. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Curiosity

The name “Amor Polenta” could derive from the shape of the mold which resembles the veins of the traditional wooden polenta cutting board, or it might be an homage to the love for polenta that has characterized Lombard cuisine. This dessert is a perfect example of how a recipe can evolve over time, moving from a simple peasant dish to a refined sweet appreciated in bourgeois salons.

Amor Polenta