 | Cornmeal CakeChef Annie Coleman of Flora and Fauna | Savannah, GA |
Lately I’ve been missing my childhood home. This dish tastes like that—rushed toast sandwiches filled with guava jelly on the way to school, spoonfuls of peanut butter, creamy bowls of rice, and sneaking a little treat out of the freezer before mom gets home. I usually cook with fresh fruit, but everyone needs to escape from time to time to a different place and a different season. These purées are perfect for those moments.
Ingredients for Cornmeal Cake:
• 170 g. sugar
• 77 g. egg yolks
• 86 g. canola oil
• 48 g. water
• 155 g. gluten-free flour (such as Anson Mills, a blend of oat, benne, and rice flour)
• 10 g. baking powder
• 3 g. kosher salt
• 248 g. egg whites
• 2 g. cream of tartar
Ingredients for Guava Syrup:
• 250 g. The Perfect Purée Pink Guava Puree, thawed
• 125 g. sugar
• 125 g. hot water
• ¼ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
Ingredients for Guava Semifreddo:
• 675 g. heavy cream
• 68 g. mascarpone
• 5 g. kosher salt
• 6 g. vanilla bean paste
• 600 g. whole eggs
• 170 g. sugar
• 200 g. The Perfect Purée Pink Guava Puree, thawed
Ingredients for Peanut Rice Pudding:
• 2833 g. milk
• 1267 g. heavy cream
• 200 g. dark-roasted peanuts
• 400 g. water
• 400 g. Carolina Gold rice
• 267 g. sugar
• 18 g. kosher salt
• 1 vanilla pod, split and scraped
Ingredients for Soursop Granita:
• 775 g. The Perfect Purée Soursop Puree, thawed
• 300 g. water
• 145 g. sugar
To Assemble and Serve:
Crushed salted roasted peanuts
Puffed rice
Grated freeze-dried dragon fruit
Method for Cornmeal Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Whip egg whites with cream of tartar to soft peaks, gradually adding half of the sugar. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat remaining sugar and egg yolks until pale. Combine gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the oil–water mixture to the yolks, mixing until smooth. Gently fold in whipped egg whites. Spread batter onto a greased and lined half sheet tray. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly pressed.
Method for Guava Syrup:
Dissolve sugar in hot water and cool slightly. Add to The Perfect Purée Guava Puree and stir in vanilla seeds. Blend to combine.
Method for Guava Semifreddo:
Whip heavy cream, mascarpone, salt, and vanilla paste to soft peaks. Set aside. In a clean mixing bowl over a double boiler, whisk eggs and sugar until mixture reaches 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a stand mixer and whip on high speed until room temperature and fluffy. Fold in The Perfect Purée Guava Puree, then gently fold in whipped cream mixture.
Method for Peanut Rice Pudding:
In a pot, bring milk and cream to a boil. Add peanuts and blend lightly with an immersion blender until pieces are about the size of grains of rice. Steep 30 minutes, then strain and weigh. Add milk to return to the original total volume (approximately 4100 grams). In a separate pot, combine two-thirds of the infused dairy with water, rice, sugar, salt, and vanilla pod. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until rice is tender and mixture is thickened but still spreadable. Cool completely in a hotel pan, then fold in the remaining dairy to loosen slightly. Adjust thickness as needed before serving.
Method for Soursop Granita:
Combine The Perfect Purée Soursop Purée, water, and sugar. Pour into a shallow pan and freeze, scraping with a fork every 30 minutes until light and fluffy.
To Assemble and Serve:
While warm, soak the Cornmeal Cake with Guava Syrup and freeze until firm. Prepare the Semifreddo and pour over the frozen, soaked cake. Freeze overnight. Prepare and chill the Rice Pudding overnight. Remove Semifreddo Cake from the tray and cut into 1½-inch squares. To plate, place one square in the center of a shallow bowl and cover with Peanut Rice Pudding. Garnish with crushed peanuts, puffed rice, grated freeze-dried dragon fruit, and a spoonful of Soursop Granita. Serve immediately.