Almond-Cornmeal Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup almonds blanched and without skin
• 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2/3 cup corn flour
• 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 ounces unsalted butter
• 3 egg yolks
• a pinch of salt
• powdered sugar for decoration
• 1 pint of fresh Mission figs
• 2-3 tablespoons of sugar (for the figs)
• 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses

Instructions

1. 1
   Grease with butter a 9-inch cake pan with removable bottom, lining the pan with similarly-greased parchment paper.
2. 2
   In a Cuisinart, or whatever you wish to call yours, combine almonds, cornmeal, corn flour, all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Pulse until the almonds are crushed sufficiently to make a fine meal.
3. 3
   Cream butter and sugar until, well, creamy. Add yolks one at a time. The color should be roughly equivalent to that of a blinding afternoon sun.
4. 4
   Combine the butter mixture with the flour group until well incorporated. Spread into cake pan and bake on the middle rack of a pre-heated 400° oven for about 30 minutes, or until done.
5. 5
   Wash figs, slice into quarter segments. Toss them in sugar and molasses, but gently. Let sit for about an hour.
6. 6
   Remove from oven. Remember to turn off your oven. Place the now-baked cake on a rack to cool. Remove from pan. Please remove the parchment paper. Dust with powdered sugar when plated.
7. 7
   Slice cake and serve with prepared figs and sweetened cream.