Creamy Italian Easter Polenta Cake • Migliaccio Napolitano

There isn’t a recipe more traditional for Easter and Carnival than Migliaccio Napolitano, this Italian treat is like a very creamy Polenta Cake it is a dessert specialty that has been enjoyed for centuries, especially in the region of Naples.

It actually used to be made of another grain and with goat cheese and pork blood, like most medieval puddings it was more savory than sweet, but nowadays its made with semolina and ricotta cheese with a hint of lemon, orange or even vanilla depending on the region, also sometimes if served in individual portions, these normally have like a cookie or crumbly base to give it a bit more texture.

I have to admit i really enjoy these kind of cakes, partly because they are delicious, but also because you move away a bit from the same flour, sugar and butter cakes that although delicious they are pretty much omnipresent, so lets enjoy this fantastic sweet and check the recipe! Happy Easter!

Creamy Italian Easter Polenta Cake • Migliaccio Napolitano

Servings: 18
Time: 2hr 30mins
Difficulty: Normal
Rating: ★★★★★
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The classic Migliaccio is a sweet and creamy taste of a traditional Italian dessert is sure to be a hit at your Easter feast.

Ingredients

Milk – 500ml
Water – 500ml
Butter – 50gr
Lemon – 1 Whole Peel (Or Orange)
Salt – A Pinch
Semolina – 200gr
Eggs – 4
Sugar – 300g
Ricotta Cheese – 350gr
Vanilla – 2 Tablespoons of Extract
Limoncello Liqueur – 1 Tablespoon
Caster Sugar – To Sprinkle

Directions

Start by adding in a small saucepan the milk, water, lemon peel and a pinch of salt, bring it to a boil.

Remove the lemon peel and add the semolina, stir continuously, cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat, until the semolina is cooked and creamy, remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line the bottom and sides of a 22 to 23 cm round baking pan with a removable rim with non-stick paper.

In a separate bowl whisk the eggs with the sugar until very creamy, then add the ricotta cheese, the vanilla extract, and the limoncello liqueur.

While stirring the egg and sugar mixture, gradually add the warm cooked semolina.

Pour the mixture into the baking pan and bake for about 60 minutes, if the top is caramelizing too much, move to a lower rack or cover with aluminum foil, prick with a toothpick if it comes out dry then the cake is ready to come out.

When you take it out of the oven the cake will have a texture similar to a cheesecake, kind of soft, so the ideal is to let it cool completely before trying to un-mold it, since when it cools it will become more stable.

And that’s it, serve sprinkled with powdered sugar or a jam, like almost any cheesecake type of cake, keep this one in the fridge covered and it will last without problems for several days, enjoy! ;D

Notes: If stirring the semolina creates lumps that do not dissolve, then use a hand blender to separate these lumps. There are a few variations on this recipe, for example replace the white sugar with brown sugar, replace the lemon with orange.

This recipe for Creamy Italian Easter Polenta Cake • Migliaccio Napolitano was originally created on BakeAfter.com. Esta receita de Bolo Migliaccio Tradicional Napolitano foi publicada em português no Iguaria.com.