EAT: POLENTA CAKE WITH CITRUS ZEST + VANILLA CASHEW CREAM

SERVES 12 | PREP 10 MINS COOKING TIME, 1 HOUR FRIDGE TIME | VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE

My mother-in-law was right. This polenta cake is so much better with cream. When I served it up the other night (sans the cream), it looked a little bare on the plate. But the next day after taking her up on the suggestion, I made easy cashew cream, and filled up the plate, and added a new dimension. Twas the bomb.

So, hello polenta cake with vanilla cashew cream: moist and substantial; tasty and delicious! The best bit is that it is healthy and so easy to make. One pot, and around 10 minutes should do it! The only thing I would change is the name. I associate cake as something light and fluffy. This ought to be called a polenta fruit + nut slice. But I'm going with the name that Sanitarium gave it, seeing it's their recipe ;)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups rice milk (fortified with calcium/B12)
1 cup polenta
1/2 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup chopped raw almonds (I prefer roasted ones)
1/2 cup raisins/sultanas
1/4 cup honey or rice malt syrup
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extra

VANILLA CASHEW CREAM
130 grams raw cashews
80 grams honey or rice malt syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
150 grams water

METHOD
1 Bring rice milk to the boil in a medium saucepan. Stirring constantly with a whisk, add polenta gradually in a thin stream. Reduce heat to medium and whisk for 5 minutes or until very thick.
2 Reduce heat to low and add remaining ingredients, stirring well after each addition.
3 Press into a 23 centimetre round cake tin and smooth the top.
4 Cool in the fridge until set and chilled through.
5 To make the cashew cream, place cashews into a food processor until it resembles a paste. Add honey, vanilla and water to the processor and combine until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
6 Garnish the cake with extra chopped nuts, lemon zest, mixed spice, and drizzled honey. Serve with cashew cream.

Original recipe for the polenta cake is found here.