I haven't made polenta for a while, and when I have it's usually been of the savoury variety either as a mash potato type side or set firm and sliced into rounds as more of a bruschetta base.

This time however I want to sweeten it up just a little so that it became more of a dessert like base as a summer breakfast, desert, or snack.

This is another versatile recipe that you could dress up however you wish with the simple notion that you whip up a batch of polenta as per usual but adding a little sweetness and spice to suit. I also added fresh raspberries to the mix and fresh blueberries on top by pressing them into the top of the mixture once i'd spread it out before chilling. Fresh berries are great here as the polenta is not baked so the sweet berries remain nice and juicy without risk of burning.... I usually use frozen berries if they are to be baked in this way.

Allow the dish to set in thin-ish layer (I used a brownie tin and flattened the mix with my fingers just under 1 cm thick) and then slice into squares or use a cookie cutter for pretty edges as I did. Once you have the top and bottom 'layers' you can add fruit, yoghurt, granola, nut butter, chocolate mousse....as you wish in between! The polenta layers remain soft and this suits more of a chilled desert since the layers are best served cold for firmness to hold their shape.

Recipe: Sweet berry polenta

serves 2-3 (4-6 slices depending on size)

Ingredients

50g quick cook polenta
200g water
80g apple puree (or 1 mashed banana)
¼ tsp stevia (or sweetener of choice to taste)
2 handfulls of berries ( I used raspberries in the mix and blueberries on top)

Method

Cook the polenta with the water according to packet instructions- mine was quick cook and took 3 minutes stirring continuously. Once thickened add the fruit puree and stevia and mix well, add some of berries if you want a pretty coloured/textured mixture.

Using damp hands or a rolling pin roll the mixture to approx 1cm thick and press the remaining berries into the top.

Allow to chill and then cut into slices with a knife or cookie cutter and serve in layer with fillings of choice.