Apple-Polenta Cakes

I must apologize. Yes, this is another simple fruit dessert.  Again, it involves apples. How does anyone resist an juicy, sweet, crisp apple? It was an apple that that tempted Eve and supposedly to have lead to the downfall of all humanity. Golden apples cause Atalanta to lose the mythical footrace. One of Hercules' tasks was to fetch those golden apples...the apples that had been a wedding gift to the king of the gods himself. And if apples are prized by gods and devils, how can a mere mortal such as myself resist?
I pick them up by the bagful at farmer's markets. I found the most beautiful variety - the Rome Beauty. It could have been the apple that the Wicked Stepmother used to tempt Snow White - with a glossy crimson skin and a gorgeously translucent white flesh with faint red vein.

I just discovered that they are considered great baking apples. Of course, I had already baked them. Not only did I turn those beauties into part of small, faintly cornbread-like cakes, but I managed to eat three of them in less than twenty-four hours. The cakes themselves are my favorite type - addictive, not overly sweet, with a few flavors that are exquisitely balanced, so none over-power. They work well for breakfast as well as a nice humble after-dinner sweet.

Apple-Polenta Babycakes
Adapted from Gourmet
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp COLD butter
3 Roma Beauty or Gala Apples
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg (or cinnamon or clove)
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup finely-chopped pecans
3/4 cup AP flour
1/2 cup stone-ground polenta (or cornmeal)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
5/8 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 large egg

Whipped Cheesecake-like Cream-1 cup heavy cream
-1/4 cup creme fraiche* (see HERE for recipe)
-1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature*
-1/4 cup caster/fine sugar (or more if you prefer)
Put all the ingredients into a cooled mixing bowl. Whisk together briskly until soft peaks form (do not overwhip).
*You can substitute all creme fraiche or all cream cheese if you do not have one of those on hand.

***p.s.. Please check out Brandi's wonderful blog, pizzelle's bakery, for an interview with yours truly. {link}***