Cornbread

And the Colors of the Rainbow

Although a bit different from the rest of this baking family because of its use of cornmeal to replace some of the flour, it  is still considered a “quick bread”. It uses the same leavening agents but  behaves a bit differently  because of the cornmeal which contributes to the  rougher, grainier texture which is what I love about cornmeal.

What should you bake your cornbread in? Any type of pan but my favorite and the one I suggest  is a cast iron skillet. Who doesn’t  love such a vessel slathered with melted butter on top landing at their table as opposed to a nice basket of cut cornbread wrapped in a decorative cloth? The latter of course still tastes just as good; it is just a visual. And then crumbling it into a bowl of chili or serving it alongside turnip greens and BBQ.  A more unknown and perhaps bizarre but absolutely delicious way of eating cornbread is with fruit jam spread on it for breakfast. 

What type of cornmeal to use? I

  love the variety of  flavors, textures and colors that cornmeal comes in. Classic and sweet yellow, mild white, earthy/nutty blue and the more robust and rustic red. Colors of the rainbow. The choice is yours, depending on the depth of flavor you are looking for, the texture, and what you are serving.

How to “Pair” Your Cornbread

When I make blue cornbread which has a very hazelnutty taste, I first think of heartier foods and definitely think of Thanksgiving. It  goes so well with turkey, cranberry, mushrooms and roasted squash, and then slather it with apple butter! And turkey chili post turkey day or with a smoked brisket. Red cornbread, with its deeper, earthier, somewhat sweeter corn flavor than the classic yellow cornmeal, stands up to bolder flavors; anything barbecue (pulled pork, ribs, brisket or smoked chicken), stews and braised meats. The Southwestern flavors such as roasted chiles, chipotle, cumin and smoked paprika are also well married partners. White cornmeal with its more delicate corn flavor and less sweetness traditionally associates it with more savory style cornbread (jalapeno) and other savory foods like hush puppies and hoecakes. And back to yellow cornmeal which has a stronger corn flavor is always best in your classic cornbread. 

What is the Difference Between  Colored Corns and Heirmoon Corns?

Colored describes the corn's pigmentation whether it be blue, red, purple, black, pink or multicolored where Heirloom specifically refers to a variety that has been preserved and passed down from generation to generation. I guess if I let my sourdough starter sit in my refrigerator long enough and my daughter eventually comes to take it away, that will be considered heirloom as well! 

Other factors that will affect the outcome of your cornbread beyond simply the color is the grind and milling method which affect texture and how liquid is absorbed. A coarse, stone-ground yellow cornmeal may behave much differently from a finely ground yellow cornmeal but the recipe can stay the same. You may just get a different texture but still an excellent product to be gobbled up. You can think of cornmeal as you would different flours and how the end product is different. Whole Wheat flour will create a grainier bread than regular all purpose flour.

Always experiment!

For my Cornbread Recipe, I use the standard Yellow Cornmeal readily available.

The Science Behind It

• Cornmeal provides the flavor and is responsible for the texture of cornbread, while wheat flour provides for most of the structure and stability. A half-cornmeal, half-flour batter gives you the best of both: lots of corn flavor with enough gluten structure to produce a tender “bread” that holds together.

• Cornmeal does not do too much for the structure because of its lack of gluten

• A 100% cornmeal cornbread is GLUTEN FREE

Liz’s Tips

• Watch the top while baking to avoid a “crack” in the surface, like leaving your cheesecake to bake too long. 

What I Learned

• All the different cornmeals I baked with resulted in a tall, fluffy cornbread; one did not rise more than another

• No matter which type of cornmeal you use, although they will all have different textures, they will all be wonderful but not all will taste like corn!

What Does it Look Like

• The batter is very thick, much thicker than a regular cake batter since cornmeal is heavier than flour

When is it Done

• When it is “springy” to the touch and your finger oe NOT lean an imreint

• It is golden and before it “cracks”

• It has an internal temperature close tot 200 egress

The Cornbread

Sea Level Vs. High Altitude

Ingredient	Sea Level	High Altitude – 6,200 ft	Why the Change
Yellow cornmeal	1 cup	1 cup + 2 Tbsp	For extra texture and absorbs more of the liquids. Helps to hold on to more moisture
All-purpose flour	1 cup	1 cup + 2 Tbsp	Adds additional structure so the cornbread can support its rise
Granulated sugar	¼ cup	¼ cup minus ¾ tsp	To prevent excess spreading and weakening of the structure
Baking powder	1 Tbsp (3 tsp)	2½ tsp	To reduce rapid expansion which happens at high altitude along with the colllapse
Sea salt	1 tsp	1 tsp	No adjustments
Milk	1 cup	1 cup + 2 Tbsp	To replace moisture lost due to high altitude
Vegetable oil	⅓ cup	⅓ cup + 1 tsp	Adds more fat and moisture
Eggs	1 medium	2 medium eggs	To add more liquid for moisture and extra structure

Dire

Directions:

1. Preheat a Convection oven to 350 degrees and a Conventional Oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, combine Cornmeal, Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder & Salt.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and vegetable oil together.

4. Slowly add liquids, scraping down sides until thoroughly blended.

6. Fill the  greased pan ¾ up sides.

6. Bake for approximately 50 - 60 minutes

Spread happily with butter and honey!