98 NOVEMBER 2020
Cornmeal Cake Trifle with
Sabayon and Candied
Kumquats
ACTIVE 1 HR 30 MIN; TOTAL 3 HR 30 MIN
SERVES 10 TO 12A masterpiece of technique and flavor,
this stunning collaboration between Kelly
Fields and Claudia Fleming has many deli-
cious components, and most can be
made ahead, making assembly impres-
sively easy. Layers of crumbly cornmeal
cake and fresh and candied citrus float on
billowy drifts of barely boozy sabayon,
topped with sweet, crisp peaks of toasted
Italian meringue. Choose a quality bottle
of Prosecco for the best-tasting sabayon.
To easily and properly trim the cake layers
to fit, invert the trifle dish and trace its bor-
der on parchment paper to create a guide.CANDIED KUMQUATS
1 cup fresh kumquats (about 5 oz.),
thinly sliced crosswise and seeded
(about^3 / 4 cup)
11 / 2 cups water, divided
2 / 3 cup granulated sugar
MARINATED ORANGES
3 1 / 2 lb. oranges (about 8 small oranges,
preferably a mixture of navel and
blood oranges)
1 /^4 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 / 4 tsp. kosher salt
CITRUS-CORNMEAL CAKE
Cooking spray
11 / 4 cups all-purpose flour (about 5^3 / 8
oz.)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 / 2 cup fine yellow cornmeal (about 2^3 / 8
oz.)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 /^4 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 / 2 cup buttermilk
11 / 2 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 1 Tbsp.
fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. grated blood orange zest
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 /^2 cup unsalted butter (4 oz.), melted
and cooled
PROSECCO SABAYON
1 / 2 cup heavy cream
8 large egg yolks
2 / 3 cup granulated sugar
1 / 8 tsp. kosher salt
2 / 3 cup (5^1 / 3 oz.) Prosecco or other
sparkling white wine
ITALIAN MERINGUE
3 / 4 cup granulated sugar
1 / 3 cup water1 / 8 tsp. kosher salt
3 large egg whites, at room
temperature
1 / 4 tsp. cream of tartar- Make the candied kumquats: Bring
kumquats and 1 cup water to a boil in a
small saucepan over medium-high. Drain
and discard liquid; set kumquats aside.
Add sugar and remaining^1 / 2 cup water to
saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-
high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until
sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Add
kumquats; reduce heat to medium-low,
and cook, stirring occasionally, until kum-
quats appear translucent, 4 to 6 minutes.
Drain well (reserve drained kumquat
syrup for another use). - Make the marinated oranges: Remove
peels and white pith from oranges using
a sharp knife. Working over a bowl, cut
between the orange membranes to
release fruit segments into bowl. Squeeze
membranes over bowl to yield about^1 / 2
cup juice. Using a slotted spoon, remove
orange segments from bowl, and set
aside. Add sugar, lemon juice, and salt to
orange juice in bowl; whisk until sugar is
dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes. Return orange
segments to bowl; toss to coat. Cover and
chill at least 2 hours or up to 2 days. Drain
oranges (reserve liquid for another use). - Make the citrus-cornmeal cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch
round cake pan with cooking spray; line
with parchment paper, and lightly coat
parchment with cooking spray. Set aside.
Whisk together flour, sugar, cornmeal,
baking powder, and salt in a medium
bowl. Whisk together eggs, buttermilk,
lemon zest and juice, blood orange zest,
and vanilla in a separate medium bowl.
Make a well in middle of flour mixture;
pour in buttermilk mixture, followed by
melted butter. Whisk until evenly incor-
porated and smooth, being careful not to
overmix. - Transfer batter to prepared cake pan;
spread in an even layer. Bake in preheated
oven until cake is slightly golden and a
wooden pick inserted in center comes out
clean, 24 to 28 minutes. Transfer cake
in pan to a wire rack; let cool 10 minutes.
Run a knife around inside edge of pan, and
invert cake onto wire rack. Let cool com-
pletely, about 1 hour. - Make the Prosecco sabayon: Fill a
large bowl with ice water; set aside. Fill a
medium saucepan with water to a depth
of 1 inch; bring to a simmer over medium-
low. Meanwhile, place heavy cream in
a large bowl; whisk vigorously by hand
until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.
Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 1
hour. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar,
and salt in a large heatproof bowl until
well combined. Add Prosecco, and whisk
well to combine. Set bowl over simmer-
ing water in saucepan, ensuring bottom
of bowl doesn’t touch water; cook over
medium-low, whisking constantly, until
mixture is very thick and glossy and triples
in volume, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from
heat, and set bowl in prepared ice water–
filled bowl; whisk constantly until cold,
about 5 minutes. Fold in whipped cream.
Cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours.- Make the Italian meringue: Combine
s u g a r,^1 / 3 cup water, and salt in a small
saucepan, and cook over medium-high,
stirring often, until sugar is dissolved and
mixture registers 240°F on an instant-
read thermometer, 6 to 8 minutes. When
sugar mixture is almost up to tempera-
ture (about 225°F), beat egg whites in
bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the
whisk attachment on medium speed until
foamy, about 30 seconds. Add cream of
tartar, and beat on medium speed until
soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. (The
sugar mixture should reach 240°F at
the same time the egg whites reach soft
peaks.) With mixer running on medium
speed, gradually drizzle in sugar mixture.
Increase mixer speed to medium-high,
and beat until mixture is glossy and stiff
peaks form, 1 minute and 30 seconds to 2
minutes. Set aside. - Assemble the trifle: Spoon one-third
of the sabayon (about 1 cup) in an even
layer in a 3^1 / 2 -quart trifle dish. Using a ser-
rated knife, cut cake in half horizontally
to create 2 even layers. If needed, trim
cake layers to fit trifle dish. Place 1 cake
layer on top of sabayon in trifle dish. Top
with half of the marinated oranges (about
1 cup) and half of the candied kumquats
(a b o u t^1 / 4 cup). Repeat layers once with
one-third of the sabayon, the second cake
layer, remaining marinated oranges, and
remaining kumquats, layering ingredients
all the way to edge of trifle dish. Top with
remaining sabayon in an even layer. Top
trifle with meringue; toast using a kitchen
torch. Serve immediately, or chill, uncov-
ered, up to 12 hours. —KELLY FIELDS AND
CLAUDIA FLEMING
WINE Fruity sparkling wine: NV Fantinel
Prosecco Extra Dry
MAKE AHEAD Candied kumquats can be
stored in an airtight container in
refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Cake can be
stored at room temperature up to 2 days.
Marinated oranges can be chilled up to 2
days. Assembled trifle can be chilled up to
8 hours or overnight.
NOTE Use leftover candied kumquat
syrup and juice from marinated oranges
to add flavor to cocktails or sparkling
wine, or brush over cake layers to add
sweet citrus flavor.