Chocolate Polenta Pudding Cake

6 to 8 servings

Cake ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cup coarsely ground cornmeal
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• Shredded zest of 1/2 large orange
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• generous 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Topping ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Powdered sugar for dusting

1. In a 2-quart saucepan bring the milk to the boil. Meanwhile, combine the cornmeal, the 1/2 cup sugar, and the salt in a medium metal bowl. Whisk in the hot milk until smooth.

2. Wash out the saucepan, fill it two thirds full of water, and bring it to a simmer. Cover the bowl with foil, set it over the water and cook 40 minutes; the polenta will be thick and stiff. Stir three or four times as it cooks and add water to the pan if necessary.

3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter an 8-inch springform pan. Finely chop three quarters of the chocolate and cut the rest into generous 1-inch pieces.

4. When the polenta is cooked, remove the bowl (or pan) from the water. Blend in the finely chopped chocolate, the orange zest, cinnamon, pepper, yolks, and vanilla. Place 1 cup of this mixture in another bowl and stir the cream into it. Set aside.

5. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites until frothy. Beat in the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, and then whip to soft peaks. Fold a quarter of the whites into the non-cream chocolate-polenta mixture to lighten it. Then fold in the rest, leaving a few white streaks. Fold in the chocolate chunks with one or two strokes. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Using a spoon, hollow out the center of the batter so the polenta-cream mixture will sit in a pocket, and add the cream mixture. Cover with the rest of the batter. Sift the cocoa over the top, then sprinkle with the sugar.

6. Bake 1 hour, or until a knife inserted at the edge of the pudding comes out with moist crumbs on it, but when put into the center, comes out with creamy streaks. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes.

7. Release the sides of the pan and set the cake on a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with powdered sugar.

	'Alfred Portale's 12 Seasons Cookbook,' by Alfred Portale with Andrew Friedmanby Alfred Portale with Andrew Friedman
	Food for the Soul by Monique Wells
	Barbecue! Bible -- Sauces, Rubs and Marinades by Steven Raichlen
	Off the Eaten Path by Bob Blumer
	The Cake Mix Doctor by Anne Byrn
	'L'Atelier of Alain Ducasse by Bénédict Beaugé
	A Mediterranean Feast by Clifford A. Wright
	Cooking with the Hazans: the best kept secrets of the Italian kitchen
	Books capture style and substance of Vietnamese cuisine
	The New Moosewood Cookbook By Mollie Katzen
	Two Fat Ladies Obsessions By Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright
	French Laundry Cookbook by Thomas Keller
	A Gracious Plenty: Recipes and Recollections from the American South By John T. Edge
	Crazy Plates: Low-Fat Food So Good, You'll Swear It's Bad for You! by Janet and Greta Podleski
	Blue Ginger: East Meets West cooking with Ming Tsai by Ming Tsai and Arthur Boehm
	Australian Food: In Celebration of the New Australian Cuisine by Alan Saunders
	Sweet Celebrations: The Art of Decorating Beautiful Cakes by Sylvia Weinstock with Kate Manchester
	Buon appetito: A harvest of country Italian cookbooks
	How Are You Peeling? by Saxton Freymann and Joost Elffers
	Julia and Jacques, Cooking at Home by Julia Child and Jacques Pepin
	Cafe Boulud Cookbook by Daniel Boulud and Dorie Greenspan
	Prairie Home Cooking by Judith M. Fertig
	Saveur Cooks Authentic French by the editors of Saveur magazine
	Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook By Sylvia Woods and Family
	Help! My Apartment Has a Dining Room By Kevin and Nancy Mills
	Your Place or Mine by Jean-Christophe Novelli
	Sweet Simplicity by Jacques Pépin
	Country Weekend Entertaining by Anna Pump with Gen LeRoy
	Cooking with Patrick Clark: A Tribute to the Man and His Cuisine
	America's food is as diverse as its culture: Cookbook reviews
	Homestyle Cooking Made Healthy by Jeanne Jones