Best Sweet Corn Bread
Sweet Corn Bread that can be made in a cast iron skillet, or a metal or glass pan.
A few years ago, prior to meeting John, I was able to spend a few months traveling around to visit all of my siblings (it takes months to see all 12). During one of those visits, my sister in law Monica made this cornbread with dinner. It is insanely delicious. She kindly shares this recipe with us!
Best Sweet Corn Bread
Place a 9” round cast iron skillet in the oven, setting oven temp to 400F
In a mixing bowl, cream together:
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp shortening
Then whisk in:
1 egg
Stir in:
1/3 cup cornmeal
Pour on top:
2/3 cup flour
Stir into the flour (don’t mix flour into wet ingredients yet):
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
Add:
1/2 cup milk
Now stir everything together, folding until smooth.
Carefully remove cast iron skillet from oven, adding:
1 Tbsp butter
Swirl to grease bottom of skillet as butter melts.
Pour in corn batter.
Return filled skillet to oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400F.
Serve hot with honey butter.
Brenda’s tips:
Serving size: 4-8 servings
Recipe can be used for a 9” round pan or an 8” square pan.
No cast iron? Use a glass or metal pan.
For High Elevation (~6K ft), add additional 2 Tbsp flour & 1 Tbsp milk
A perfect side dish for:
Window to B’s kitchen . . .
Corn Tortillas
Learn how to turn masa harina (treated corn flour) into savory, flavorful, homemade corn tortillas.
Remember when making corn tortillas that the dough requires time to absorb the water. That is the purpose of kneading in this application, keep in mind there isn’t gluten to develop, but working the dough will help the masa harina (treated corn flour) to absorb the water and develop the desired tender texture.
Note: this recipe makes eight (~5”) corn tortillas, multiply if more are desired
Corn Tortillas
In a mixing bowl, sift together:
1 cup masa harina
1/4 tsp salt
Stir in:
1/2 cup hot water
1 Tbsp oil
Begin to knead. If after 2-3 minutes of kneading, the dough crumbles add:
1 Tbsp hot water, repeat as needed
Continue kneading for 5-10 minutes. The dough should be smooth, not sticky, and hold together decently well.
Preheat flat cooking surface to medium heat.
Divide dough into 8. For each portion:
Press (or roll out) between two sheets of parchment paper
finished tortilla should have a ~5” diameter
Place pressed tortilla on hot skillet
Cook 1-2 minutes & flip
Cook on second side for 1-2 minutes longer
Remove from heat and place in a covered dish
Repeat with remaining tortillas
Serve hot or use in recipes.
Brenda’s tips:
Serving size: Eight 5” corn tortillas, about 4 servings.
Multiply recipe if more are desired
Use very hot tap water or heat water in a kettle to near-boiling.
Brenda tested various ways of rolling tortillas and found parchment paper allowed the best unhindered release of the pressed tortilla and could withstand the hot surface of the skillet in the transfer from rolling to cooking.
Recommended to cook the pressed corn tortillas on a hot flat cast-iron skillet. A griddle or a non-stick skillet will work just as well.
Masa harina and cornmeal are not interchangeable. Masa is corn that has been treated in lime water (a calcium hydroxide alkaline agent, not the citrus fruit) and ground into a flour. Cornmeal is also corn that has been ground, but it has not been treated in lime water meaning it won’t make good tortillas.
Window to B’s kitchen…
This corn tortilla cooked for 4 mins—notice how as it cooks it bubbles, shrinks, and crisps.