Polenta Cake with Blackberry Compote and Mascarpone Cream

For cake:

3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) unsalted butter, softened

5 cups confectioners' sugar

1 vanilla bean

4 large whole eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 cups bread flour

1-cup cornmeal

For compote

3 1/2 cups blackberries

1/2 cup granulated sugar, or to taste

1/4-cup blackberry brandy or grappa

For mascarpone cream

1/2-cup mascarpone cheese

1-cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

Garnish: 1-cup blackberries

Make cake:

Preheat oven to 325° F. and butter and flour a 10 inch round spring form cake pan.

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Split vanilla bean

lengthwise. Scrape seeds from pod and add to butter

mixture. Beat in whole eggs and egg yolks 1 at a time,

beating well after each addition, and fold in flour and

cornmeal. Pour batter into pan and bake cake in middle of

oven 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until golden. Invert cake

onto a rack and cool completely. Transfer cake to a large

platter.

Make compote:

In a saucepan cook blackberries, granulated sugar, and

Blackberry brandy over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, 10

minutes, or until sugar is dissolved.

Pour compote over cake. Let pudding stand, loosely

covered, at room temperature at least 6 hours and up to 1

day.

Make mascarpone cream:

In a bowl with an electric mixer beat mascarpone until light

and fluffy. Add cream and granulated sugar and beat

mixture until it holds soft peaks.

Garnish pudding with blackberries and serve with

mascarpone cream.