Blueberry Cornmeal Cake with Buttermilk Sabayon

Name: Blueberry Cornmeal Cake with Buttermilk Sabayon
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for buttering the pan; 3/4 pound fresh blueberries or blackberries; 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice; 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 2/3 cup sugar; 1/2 cup whole milk; 1 cup boiling water; 4 large egg yolks; 1/4 cup sugar; 3/4 cup buttermilk; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

December 22, 2011

When you marry a pastry chef, you don’t have to perfect your baking skills, says Ben Barker, who participated in the 1990 Workshop. That’s why Chef Barker—whose wife, Karen, is a pastry authority—limits himself to simple “beach cottage desserts,” like this cornmeal cake. It’s a homespun, old-fashioned dessert that you can adapt to any summer berries. The sabayon dresses it up for company. Don’t be surprised by the unorthodox method—it really works.

Recipe notes

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