(The Best) Cornbread
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When Tom and I were registering for our wedding, I admit I was a little overzealous. In addition to going with Tom and registering in stores, I also added a few things here and there online. Being a bit of a kitchen gadget enthusiast, I added some things that I probably could have done without. For example–my scone pan. At the time I registered for it, I had never made a scone in my life. But it seemed like a good idea. And, well, it was pretty cute. Always a good criterion for buying things.
The pan admittedly does not get a whole lot of use, but there are definitely things it’s good for–like developing great crusts on things. When you make cornbread in a cast iron skillet or square pan it still tastes good, but not everyone has a crusty edge. In my family, we fight over the corner pieces of everything–bread, brownies, lasagna. You name it. This is great because everyone has their own “corner piece.”
Tonight, I used my pan for a Cook’s llustrated cornbread recipe. I doctored it up slightly by adding a little shredded cheddar and a minced jalapeno. This was some really great cornbread…and this is coming from someone who doesn’t really like cornbread all that much. It had the perfect texture and tasted great. A stick of butter will help out any recipe, I guess.
All-Purpose Cornbread
adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal (this dish was tested using Quaker yellow cornmeal)
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed–or to your spice preference–and minced
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl until combined; set aside.
2. In food processor or blender, process sugar, thawed corn kernels, and buttermilk until combined, about 5 seconds. Add eggs and process until well combined (corn lumps will remain), about 5 seconds longer.
3. Using rubber spatula, make well in center of dry ingredients; pour wet ingredients into well. Begin folding dry ingredients into wet, giving mixture only a few turns to barely combine; add melted butter and continue folding until dry ingredients are just moistened. Fold in cheddar and jalapenos.
4. Pour batter into prepared baking dish; smooth surface with rubber spatula. Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes (took about 20 minutes in my scone pan). Cool on wire rack 10 minutes; invert cornbread onto wire rack, then turn right side up and continue to cool until warm, about 10 minutes longer.