Yield: 8 servings
With pineapple coated in sugar that has been melted in water. Then with butter and sugar blended together, egg yolks were whisked in to make a caramel sauce. A mixture of flour, polenta, baking powder and salt mixed added to the pineapples with a drizzle of caramel sauce.
Ingredients:
- ¾ cups (187ml) butter at room temperature
- 1 ¾ (437ml) cups sugar
- 3 eggs plus 6 egg yolks at room temperature
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (200ml) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (155ml) polenta (cornmeal)
- ¾ teaspoon (3.5ml) baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup (60ml) water
- ½ a whole pineapple
Method:
Prepare the pineapple: Remove the top and bottom and using a sharp knife slice off the skin from top to bottom. Cut as thin as possible and leave as much of the flesh as you can. Set the pineapple up right. Remove the eye spots; the eye spots line up in diagonal rows on the pineapple. Cut a v shaped groove along the diagonal line (like a tunnel) to remove the spots.
Lay the peeled pineapple on its side and cut into 5 slices, 1 inch (2.5cm) thick rounds.
Cut the core out using a round pastry cutter or melon baller.
Prepare cake: Using an electric mixer or by hand, cream the butter and 1 cup (250ml) of the sugar in a large bowl. Cream until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Combine the flour, polenta, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl sift and add to the batter, mixing completely.
Preheat the oven to 350F (176°C).
Lightly oil the sides of a 9 inch (22.8cm) round baking pan. Cook the remaining ¾ cups (187ml) of sugar and water in a small, heavy-bottomed sauce pan set over medium heat for 10 minutes or until brown and caramelized. Do not stir the sugar after it has dissolved. You can dip a pastry brush in a bowl of water to wash down the sides to prevent the sugar from crystallizing. Pour the sugar into the baking pan and swirl around to coat the bottom of the pan.
Refrigerate the pineapple in sugar for 5-10 minutes. Arrange the pineapple rings in the baking pan in a single layer if you need to cut some of the rings to make them fit do so.
Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 35 minutes, or until the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center or when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let sit 4 minutes. Run a knife around the outside of the pan.
Invert the warm cake onto a large plate.
Serve with fresh cream.
