CAKE, CHOCOLATE POLENTA
Makes 12 servings.

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup butter
6 (1-ounce) squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
5 large egg whites
2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Preparation:
Heat oven 300ÁF.
Grease 9" springform pan. Set aside.

Combine water and cornmeal in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil (3 to 4 minutes). Reduce heat to low. Cover; cook until mixture is thickened (5 to 7 minutes). Remove from heat; let stand 2 minutes.

Add butter, chocolate and vanilla; stir until melted. Cool completely.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar and egg yolks in small mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until mixture is thick and lemon-colored (3 to 4 minutes). Stir in chocolate mixture.

Beat egg whites in large mixer bowl at high speed until soft peaks form (3 to 4 minutes). Continue beating, gradually adding 2 tablespoons sugar, until glossy and stiff peaks form (2 to 3 minutes). (DO NOT OVER BEAT). Gently stir in chocolate mixture.

Pour mixture into prepared springform pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until cake is set in center. Cool completely. Serve with whipped cream or chocolate shavings.

FICHI CON FORMAGGIO MARSCAPONE - FIGS WITH MARSCAPONE CHEESE
Serves 4

Ingredients:
8 ripe figs
8 tsp. cane sugar
300g (2/3 lb.) marscapone cheese (optionally, soft cream cheese)
50 g (1/2 cup) powdered sugar
8 Tbsp. vinsanto (a sweet white dessert wine)

Preparation:
Select 8 ripe, blemish-free figs. Wash them, pat them dry, and make two perpendicular cuts half way into each fig from the stem end, as if you were going to quarter them. Put them on a cookie sheet covered with oiled paper. Sprinkle a teaspoon of cane sugar over each fig and run them under a broiler for 2-3 minutes, to lightly caramelize the sugar.

Arrange the figs on 4 plates, and continue the cuts almost all the way down to the base, so the figs open like so many flowers. Beat the mascarpone cheese with about 1/2 cup (50 g) powdered sugar and 8 tablespoons vinsanto . Divide the cheese among the figs, and enjoy!

GRANITA, WATERMELON
Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups seeded and chopped watermelon (about a 3 1/4 pound wedge)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Preparation:
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and 3/4 cup water, and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Then let the syrup cool.

In a blender or food processor, puree the watermelon. In a bowl combine the puree, the syrup and the lemon juice and chill the mixture, covered, for 1 to 2 hours, or until it is cold. The mixture may be made up to this point 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Stir the mixture , transfer it to 2 metal ice cube trays without the dividers or a shallow metal bowl, and freeze it, stirring it with a fork every 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the temperature of the freezer and crushing the large frozen clumps, for 2 to 3 hours, or until it is firm but not frozen hard.

Scrape the granita with a fork to lighten the texture and serve it in chilled bowls.

GRAPES, BRANDIED
The origin of this concept dates back to at least the mid-eighteenth century when fruits were brandied in order to preserve them. This dessert is easy to make and can be served alone, with ice cream or your favorite cake.
Serves 8

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons Cognac or brandy
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 pounds seedless red and green grapes, washed and dried

Preparation:
In a glass bowl, combine the honey, Cognac and lemon juice and blend well. Add the grapes, cover, refrigerate overnight, stirring several times.

PERSIMMON PUDDING, STEAMED
Ingredients:
1 cup pureed persimmons (about two with their skins removed)
2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 pound (125 grams) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. rum
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup broken walnuts or pecans
1 cup raisins
Heavy cream, whipped, or hard sauce, for garnish

Preparation:
Fill a pot that is large enough to hold a 2-quart pudding mold with enough water to come halfway up the sides of the mold. Let the water come to a boil over medium heat while you are mixing the pudding batter.

The mold must have a lid or be snugly covered with foil while steaming (a two-quart coffee can with a plastic lid also works). Be sure there is a rack under the mold in the pot or a Mason jar ring, to keep the mold off the bottom of the kettle. This allows the water to circulate freely while the pudding is steaming.

Grease the mold. Put the persimmon puree in a bowl and stir in the baking soda. Set aside while mixing the other ingredients. (The persimmon mixture will become quite stiff.)

Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and rum; beat well. Add the flour, cinnamon, and salt; stir until blended Add the persimmon mixture and beat until well-mixed. Stir in the nuts and raisins.

Spoon the batter into the mold, cover, and steam for 2 hours. Remove from the pot, and let rest for 5 minutes. While you're waiting, loosen the pudding from the sides of the mold. Turn onto a rack to cool, or cool just a little if serving soon.

The pudding is best when served slightly warm. Garnish with unsweetened whipped cream or your favorite hard sauce, or cherries marinated in brandy.

Note: This pudding freezes well and will keep in the freezer for several months. Always wrap and warm thoroughly before serving.

POUNDCAKE , LAVENDER-LEMON
Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1/2 cup dried lavender, divided into two parts
5 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided into two parts
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons cake flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup lemon juice, strained
1/2 cup of water

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350Á. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, dust with flour and shake excess flour from pan.

Melt the butter with 1 tablespoon of the lavender in a heavy, small saucepan. Steep the mixture for ten minutes then strain. Discard the lavender. Set aside to cool.

Beat the eggs and one cup of the sugar in the bowl of a mixer until thick and pale yellow in color. This should take about five minutes.

Sift flour and salt together into a bowl. Using a whisk, fold the lemon zest and 1/3 of the flour mixture into the eggs until completely combined. Fold in the rest of the flour in two batches.

In a separate bowl, whisk one cup of the batter with the melted butter and the vanilla. Add this to the remaining batter. Fold to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. If the top of the cake seems to be browning too rapidly before the center is set, cover with foil and continue baking.

Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, the lemon juice, 1/2 cup of water and the remaining three tablespoons of lavender in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook only until the sugar dissolves, stirring the entire time.

Remove from heat and let cool until the cake is done. Strain and discard the lavender.

Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool. Using a cake tester or skewer, poke holes over the entire cake. Brush the loaf with half of the syrup over the top of the cake. Invert the cake onto the rack, remove the pan and brush the syrup over the bottom and sides of the cake. Turn the cake back over and brush with the remaining syrup. Let cool completely.

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