LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2015

olive oil DESSERTS from page 43

woven wire cooling rack. Tip: if the wires of the rack are too far apart, the slices will sag between them. Arrange so they don’t touch or overlap, and let rest to dry for about 1 to 2 hours. Lemon slices will still be a bit sticky when dry. 7 Arrange slices on top of loaf any way you like. Any slices not used to garnish the loaf can be stored between pieces of parchment or wax paper in an airtight container in the fridge for about 1 week. Makes about 8 large slices from the middle of the lemon

OL IVE OI L POLENTA BUNDT CAKE WITH PINE NUTS

If you like baklava, you will love this gor- geous, dense, chewy and moist cake. Com- plex and simple at once, with the exotic fla- vours of rose and cardamom, it doesn’t need anything else—no whipped cream, no ice cream—just a pot of mint tea. Culinary rose petals are available at specialty grocers and spice emporiums, Middle Eastern shops and online. Never use flowers from a florist for eating! This is a cake that gets better with a little time. Make it 24 hours ahead—it needs to set and the flavours to marry. Serve at room temperature.

CANDIED LEMON SL ICES Making these sweet-tart decorations isn’t hard, but if you are short on time, they can be pur- chased at fancy grocers. And since we’re going to be eating the peel, organic lemons are best. Don’t dump the leftover syrup; it’s Lemon Sim- ple Syrup now and can be used in drink and dessert recipes! 1 organic lemon, washed 1 Wash and slice the lemon as thinly as pos- sible—aim for a maximum of about ⅛-inch (3‑mm) thickness or less. A mandolin is great for this, but a good, sharp knife will work. Remove seeds and discard the 2 solid end bits. 2 Set a wire cooling rack over a piece of foil, parchment or cookie sheet. Set aside. 3 Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Set aside. 4 Bring a large pot of water to a low boil, and add the lemon slices. Gently boil for 7 to 10 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon and add to ice water. 5 In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a gentle boil over medium- high heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, re- move the lemon slices from the ice water, and add to the sugar-water pot. Simmer on low for about 15 to 20 minutes. Watch heat and make sure the sugar mixture does not begin to cara- melize or turn brown. 6 Use a slotted spoon or tongs to carefully lift out the lemon slices and transfer to a tightly 1 cup (250 mL) sugar 1 cup (250 mL) water

L IMONCELLO-SPIKED LEMON GLAZE

In a small saucepan over medium heat, com- bine the juice of 1 lemon (should be about ¼ cup/60 mL lemon juice), ¼ cup (60 mL) sugar, and 1 oz limoncello liqueur, and stir un- til the sugar dissolves completely, about 3 to 5 minutes. Makes about ⅓ cup (80 mL)

2 tbsp (30 mL) flour, more or less, for flouring the cake pan (if pan is not nonstick) 1 cup (250 mL) pine nuts, divided 1¼ cups (310 mL) olive oil 1 cup (250 mL) sugar 2 cups (500 mL) ground almonds (almond flour) ¾ cup (175 mL) polenta (fine yellow cornmeal) 1½ tsp (7 mL) baking powder 2 tsp (10 mL) cinnamon ½ tsp (2 mL) sea salt ¼ cup (60 mL) dried rose petals 3 free-range eggs 1 batch of Rose-Cardamom Syrup (recipe follows)

CHÈVRE & HONEY SAUCE This couldn’t be simpler! Add ½ cup (125 mL) chèvre (soft goat’s cheese), ¼ cup (60 mL) 35% cream, ¼ cup (60 mL) dark honey—buck­ wheat or another deeply flavoured natural honey—and 2 tsp (10 mL) anise liqueur (arak, white sambuca, pastis, pernod, etc.) to a micro- wave-safe bowl and heat on high for about 1 minute. Take out, whisk, and add ¼ cup (60 mL) plain, full-fat yogurt. Whisk until com­ pletely smooth and easy to spoon over each serving of cake. Makes 1 cup (250 mL)

1 Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). 2 Grease and flour a 9-inch (23-cm) bundt pan; butter and nonstick spray both work, and don’t worry if the pan is a titch bigger or smaller.

148  FOOD & DRI NK AUTUMN 2015