Showing posts with label cornbread. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cornbread. Show all posts
This Butter Pecan Cornbread is a rich, tender twist on a classic favorite. Made with toasted pecans, creamy buttermilk, and a hint of brown sugar, it delivers the perfect balance of sweet and savory in every bite.
This is a small batch recipe, adapted for the smaller family from a recipe I found on a blog called The View From Great Island. The original recipe made 16 servings. This recipe makes only 8.
Cornbread is not something I grew up with. My mother never made it. I first tasted it when I was a young bride. My sweet mother-in-law gifted me with a little handwritten notebook of favorite family recipes the first Christmas after my husband and were married. There was a recipe for "corncake" in the book.
This delicious recipe made me fall in love with cornbread and I have been baking and loving cornbread ever since. Not only my MIL's recipe, but many other kinds as well. I have never met a cornbread that I did not like and fall in love with.
This version is exceptional. Loaded with crunchy toasted pecans and a slight caramel-like sweetness from the use of brown sugar. Buttermilk makes it lovely and moist. Prepare to fall in love!
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
TO MAKE BUTTER PECAN CORNBREAD
Standard baking cupboard ingredients. There is nothing out of the ordinary here.
- 1/4 cup (57g) butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup (94g) unsifted all-purpose plain flour
- 1/3 cup (51g) cornmeal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans
To top: (optional)
- 1 TBS butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (30g) chopped toasted pecans
I use salted butter. I don't really keep any other kind in the house unless absolutely necessary.
You can easily make your own buttermilk in one of two ways:
1. Whisk 1 tsp of lemon juice or white vinegar together with enough whole milk to give you the amount of buttermilk required and then leave to clabber for five minutes.
2. Whisk together equal amounts of full fat yogurt and full fat milk to give you the amount of buttermilk required.
In the U.K. it can be difficult to find cornmeal. I would substitute polenta for the cornmeal. In North America use the fine cornmeal. DO NOT USE SELF-RISING CORNMEAL.
Check below for how to toast your pecans.
HOW TO MAKE
BUTTER PECAN CORNBREAD (SMALL BATCH)
This is a very easy make and bake. It goes together simply like most quick bread recipes. Mix the dry. Mix the wet. Mix the two together and then bake.
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a shallow baking dish that is 9 inches by 5 inches in size. Set aside. (I used a vintage Pyrex baking dish that I got from my sister. You could also use a loaf tin of the same size.)
- Whisk the flour, cornmeal, soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl. (I use a small wire whisk and really combine everything well.)
- Whisk the buttermilk, cooled melted butter (1/4 cup), brown sugar and egg together in a bowl, combining well together. Stir in the pecans. (Use a medium sized bowl so that you can combine this with the dry ingredients comfortably.)
- Add the dry ingredients all at once to the wet ingredients. Stir together only to moisten. It is okay if it is lumpy. There should be no dry streaks, but it should not be smooth. Do not overmix. (Seriously a somewhat lump batter is preferred for the best cornbread.)
- Spoon into the prepared pan, smoothing over the top.
- Whisk the melted butter for the topping together with the pecans and sprinkle evenly over top of the batter. (Although the topping is optional, I highly recommend you use it. It's fabulous.)
- Bake it the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until puffy and golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. (The top should also spring back when lightly touched.)
HINTS AND TIPS
FOR QUICK BREAD SUCCESS
If you follow my hints and tips there is no reason why you can't bake a really great quick bread successfully!
1. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature unless otherwise specified.
2. Use the best quality ingredients that you can afford and at your disposal.
3. Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in one bowl and your wet ingredients together in another bowl/beaker before combining together.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together quickly and do not over mix. They need only be combined until the dry ingredients are evenly moistened without any large pockets or streaks of dry ingredients.
5. Do not over combine the dough. A light hand is preferable. A few lumps are perfectly okay and quite acceptable. Over combining yields a tougher bake.
6. Spoon into your baking pan/tin and pop into the oven as soon as possible after combining in order to gain the maximum lift from the leavening used.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
WHAT IS CORNMEAL?
Cornmeal is a coarse flour or light meal ground from dried corn or maize. It comes in a variety of grinds from coarse to fine. It also comes in white, yellow and even blue. For this recipe today I recommend using the fine grind cornmeal, which is very similar to polenta.
WHY TOAST YOUR PECANS?
Toasting your pecans before baking with them helps to enhance their natural sweetness and nuttiness. To toast them simply pop them onto a baking sheet and toast in a moderate oven (350*F/180*C) for about 8 to 10 minutes. Leave to cool before using. I tend to do mine a whole bag at a time and store them in the freezer to use whenever I need them.
CAN I USE WHITE SUGAR?
I suppose you can, but the flavor is really much nicer when you use brown sugar. It truly helps to give this bread that slightly caramelized butter pecan flavor that we all know and love.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVERS?
Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature and use within a couple of days. It is best on day one. Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds.
CAN THIS BE FROZEN?
Yes, you can certainly freeze this bread. Wrap tightly in cling film, and then a layer of foil. Label and date and pop into the freezer for up to three months.
A FEW OTHER
CORNBREAD RECIPES TO ENJOY
I have been enjoying baking and eating cornbread for over 50 years now. Here are a few other cornbread recipes which I feel to be exceptional and that you might also enjoy!
EASY MAPLE CORNBREAD with CINNAMON & RAISINS - This cornbread is lightly sweetened with maple syrup and is beautiful served warm, with cold butter from the fridge . . . sliced into thin slices and laid atop the cut and dimpled surface, the butter melting down into the nooks and crannies and mingling with the dried fruit and spice in the most delicious way. This is a beautiful cornbread.
MOTHER-IN-LAWS CORNCAKE - This was the cornbread recipe which started my love for cornbread. It is my late mothers-in-law's recipe, and she got it from her own mother. People have been baking this delicious cornbread (also called corncake) for well over 100 years. It's moist and delicious and goes wonderfully with baked beans or chili.
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Yield: 8 servings
Butter Pecan Cornbread (small batch)
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 35 Min
This quick and easy cornbread goes wonderfully with everything from salads to hot soups to stews. It is even delicious all on it's own spread with butter and drizzled with some honey.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (57g) butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 3/4 cup (94g) unsifted all-purpose plain flour
- 1/3 cup (51g) cornmeal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted pecans
To top: (optional)
- 1 TBS butter, melted
- 1/4 cup (30g) chopped toasted pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Butter a shallow baking dish that is 9 inches by 5 inches in size. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, cornmeal, soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl.
- Whisk the buttermilk, cooled melted butter (1/4 cup), brown sugar and egg together in a bowl, combining well together.. Stir in the pecans.
- Add the dry ingredients all at once to the wet ingredients. Stir together only to moisten. It is okay if it is lumpy. There should be no dry streaks, but it should not be smooth. Do not overmix.
- Spoon into the prepared pan, smoothing over the top.
- Whisk the melted butter for the topping together with the pecans and sprinkle evenly over top of the batter.
- Bake it the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until puffy and golden brown. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
This content, written and photography, is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
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New England Spider Cake. No, don't worry. There are no spiders in this recipe. This is an old historical recipe which has always been traditionally baked in an iron skillet, also known as a spider skillet. The original recipe goes back to the pioneer days when cornmeal was very much a part of the pioneer diet.
It is a prime example of pioneer know how in the art of making something completely delicious out of simple, easily accessed and natural ingredients. How to make a whole lot out of not a lot. Is genius.
I adapted the recipe from a full sized one which I found here. The original recipe made six to eight servings. I was happy with making a much smaller cake as I am only one person, and even if I give some to my next-door neighbor, between the two of us we can only consume so much.
What you have here is a beautiful breakfast cake, a cornmeal cake, with textures ranging from crisp on the bottom, fudgy in the center and topped with a rich earthy corn custard on top. Not too sweet, this is beautiful cut into wedges and served with fruit, or preserves. I dare say a splash of maple syrup or honey would also go down very well with it.
Prepare to fall in love.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE NEW ENGLAND SPIDER CAKE (SMALL BATCH)
A few simple baking cupboard ingredients. Easy to stir together. The end result is magic.
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 cup (63g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup +2 tsp (64g) yellow cornmeal
- 1/3 cup+1 TBS (75g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 TBS butter
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy/whipping cream
You could use buttermilk instead of the whole milk and the vinegar, but I love the richness which whole milk infuses into this bake.
Yellow cornmeal is dried corn ground into a powder. It is very similar to polenta in texture. In fact, if I was living in the U.K. or Europe I would use Polenta.
Don't be tempted to use coarse cornmeal. You will not get the same results.
I used organic granulated sugar. You can use any kind of granulated sugar which you wish to use. Don't use brown sugar or icing sugar, however. Just granulated sugar.
My eggs are large and free range/free run.
Here in Canada, I used heavy whipping cream. In the U.K. you can use heavy cream, or double cream as it is also called. I have also seen this done with straight whole milk, but I like the special richness the use of cream gives.
TO MAKE NEW ENGLAND SPIDER CAKE (SMALL BATCH)
This might sound a bit odd, but trust me when I tell you it works beautifully.
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4.
Whisk the vinegar and whole milk together in a cup. Leave for 5 minutes to clabber.
Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
Whisk the egg and the milk mixture together. Add all at once to the dry ingredients and mix together just to combine. Leave to set for a few minutes.
Add the butter to an 8-inch oven-proof skillet. Pop into the oven to melt the butter.
Tilt the hot pan to distribute the butter evenly. Pour the batter into the pan.
Carefully and slowly pour the cream into the center of the batter. Do not stir.
Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until done. You will know it is done when the edges of the cake start to pull away from the side of the pan. Do not over bake.
Serve warm, cut into wedges. This is wonderful served with fresh fruit, fruit preserves or a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
This was a very similar concept to my Custard Filled Cornbread. That was recipe I got from Marion Cunningham's Supper book and is filled with lovely bits of kernel corn as well as the custard center.
This version is more cake like and has a dense, almost fudgy texture with a lush custard topping. It was absolutely delicious. I served it with some black currant preserves. It was fabulous! It is a cornbread that you will find yourself picking at for just-one-more-sliver!
Here are a few other kinds of cornbread you might also enjoy. I could not pick a favorite if I tried. I just love cornbread in any way, shape or form!
MAPLE & SPICE CORN BREAD - A delicious cornbread using equal amounts of flour and cornmeal, sweetened with maple syrup, flavored with cinnamon, and studded generously with sweet sticky raisins. This is beautiful served warm for breakfast with lashings of butter and perhaps a drizzle of honey or more maple syrup.
HONEY CORNBREAD MUFFINS - This is a small batch recipe making six beautiful corn muffins. They are light and delicious with a beautiful crumb. Buttery and lightly sweetened with a bit of sugar and some honey, and just a nice amount of crunch from the cornmeal. I think you could call these my favorite corn muffin!
Yield: 3 to 4 small servings
New England Spider Cake
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min
An old heritage dish recipe which remains just as delicious and relevant today as it did years ago. A moist and delicious cornbread with a custard filling. This is wonderful cut into wedges and served warm with fruit or jam.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- 2 tsp white vinegar
- 1/2 cup (63g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup +2 tsp (64g) yellow cornmeal
- 1/3 cup+1 TBS (75g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 TBS butter
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy/whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4.
- Whisk the vinegar and whole milk together in a cup. Leave for 5 minutes to clabber.
- Whisk the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a bowl.
- Whisk the egg and the milk mixture together. Add all at once to the dry ingredients and mix together just to combine. Leave to set for a few minutes.
- Add the butter to an 8-inch oven-proof skillet. Pop into the oven to melt the butter.
- Tilt the hot pan to distribute the butter evenly. Pour the batter into the pan.
- Carefully and slowly pour the cream into the center of the batter. Do not stir.
- Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until done. You will know it is done when the edges of the cake start to pull away from the side of the pan. Do not over bake.
- Serve warm, cut into wedges. This is wonderful served with fresh fruit, fruit preserves or a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
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On Sunday's I have dinner with my family, usually over at my sister's place, although they do all sometimes come here. This week she made a lovely meal of Meatloaf, scalloped potatoes, carrots and she had this fabulous corn casserole as another side dish. It was love at first bite. We all wanted seconds.
I got her to share the recipe with me and here I am only a few days later making it again for myself. The original recipe came from Kitchen Divas. I have made a small batch of it for my and your convenience.
It really is delicious. Light and fluffy, with lots of bits of corn in it. The cheese goes wonderfully both in the batter and sprinkled on top at the end. It is not too sweet, just sweet enough.
It is the perfect combination of creamy, fluffy, moist, sweet and savory. I can see this becoming a new tradition for all of our holiday dinners. I think it would work very well with any roast such as turkey or ham. I know it went excellent with meatloaf!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESY SWEET CORN CASSEROLE
Some pretty simple ingredients. A mix is required, but no worries, I have included instructions on how to make the exact amount of the mix that you will need if you cannot find it in your area. (And I know it is not available in the U.K. at all.)
- 1 scant cup (212g) creamed corn
- 1 scant cup (212g) corn kernels, drained (or the equivalent of frozen, thawed)
- 1/3 cup (40g) dairy sour cream
- 1 large free range egg, beaten
- 2 TBS butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (90g) strong cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 of an (8.5 oz) box of Jiffy corn bread mix (see notes)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
You will have some creamed corn and some corn niblets from your cans left over. Just stir them together and freeze them in a small container. Use them the next time you make corn chowder. Nothing will be wasted.
You will only need half of the box of Jiffy, but no worries, you can save the other half and use it to make muffins or another casserole such as this one on another day. It won't be wasted either. (Don't worry if you cannot get the Jiffy, I have given you the ingredients needed to take its place in the notes section below.)
Try to grate your own cheese if you can. They add cellulose to grated cheese to help it flow better. You don't want that in your casserole. I only had orange cheddar (Balderson's strong) and so my casserole turned out pretty orange, but that's okay, it tasted lovely!
HOW TO MAKE CHEESY SWEET CORN CASSEROLE (SMALL BATCH)
Whether you choose to use the corn bread mix or the substitute for it, this is a casserole that really cannot get much easier!
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Set aside.
Whisk the creamed corn, corn kernels, sour cream, and beaten egg together in a bowl until well combined. Whisk in the corn bread mix (see below), salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup (60g) of the cheddar cheese to combine. Spoon into the prepared baking dish.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. It will be done when it is light brown on top and the center is set, but still soft.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve warm.
Notes
These are the exact amounts for the cornbread mix substitute that you will need for this recipe:
1/3 cup plain all purpose flour (41g)
1/4 cup cornmeal (not self rising) (43g)
2 1/2 TBS granulated sugar
1/2 TBS baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS vegetable oil
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and use as per the recipe instructions.
Cover and refrigerate any leftovers and use within 3 days, including the day that you make it. You can very easily reheat them by gently rewarming in a buttered skillet over medium low heat.
You can also freeze this casserole. Freeze tightly covered for up to six months. To use, thaw out completely and let come to room temperature. Bake, uncovered, in a low oven for 15 minutes until thoroughly heated through.
This is probably one of the most delicious corn sides I have ever eaten. I seriously could eat a whole plate of this and nothing else. From the time I tasted it at my sister's I was on a mission to recreate it here at home.
It makes a wonderful side dish, especially for the holidays, but I think it would be pretty wonderful just on it's own for breakfast with a couple of sausages and some maple syrup. That is the glutton in me speaking, lol
I am a huge fan of corn breads and corn pudding. I could eat a whole plate of them and nothing else and be quite happy. They just scream autumn to me. Here are a few other cornmeal bakes you might like and enjoy as much as I do!
GRANDMOTHER'S CORN PUDDING - This is very similar to this recipe shared today, but uses no mix. There is also no cheese included. It is light and delicious. You can actually cut this into squares and serve from the dish, although it is more like a pudding than a corn bread. It's pretty wonderful!
MOLASSES CORN BREAD - This is one of my all-time favorite corn breads. It is sweetened with molasses which lends an almost smoky quality to the bread. Corn and molasses are perfect partners! This is simply fabulous served warm and cut into squares along side of your favorite soups, stews, casseroles. It goes great with BBQ and it is lovely just served as is, split and spread with butter and a drizzle more of molasses.
Yield: 4 servings
Cheesy Sweet Corn Casserole
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 45 Min
The first time I had this was at my sister's place. It was so delicious that I had to get the recipe from her and here I am two days later making a small batch of it for myself. This is simply fabulous! It uses half a pack of Jiffy cornbread mix, but I have a recipe to make your own cornbread mix in the notes, so no fear, you can make it even if you don't have access to Jiffy.
Ingredients
- 1 scant cup (212g) creamed corn
- 1 scant cup (212g) corn kernels, drained (or the equivalent of frozen, thawed)
- 1/3 cup (40g) dairy sour cream
- 1 large free range egg, beaten
- 2 TBS butter, melted
- 3/4 cup (90g) strong cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/2 of an (8.5 oz) box of Jiffy corn bread mix (see notes)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Set aside.
- Whisk the creamed corn, corn kernels, sour cream, and beaten egg together in a bowl until well combined. Whisk in the corn bread mix (see below), salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup (60g) of the cheddar cheese to combine. Spoon into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. It will be done when it is light brown on top and the center is set, but still soft.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Serve warm.
Notes
These are the exact amounts for the cornbread mix substitute that you will need for this recipe:
1/3 cup plain all purpose flour (41g)
1/4 cup cornmeal (not self rising) (43g)
2 1/2 TBS granulated sugar
1/2 TBS baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBS vegetable oil
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and use as per the recipe instructions.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
Also, if you have not checked out my YouTube Channel yet, do give it a gander. I would really appreciate it, and if you want to subscribe that would be even more appreciated! Thank you so much! It is not really fancy like some people's channels. I am very much learning as I go along, but what you get is authentic at least! There is nothing fake there! No filters, bells or whistles. Filmed in real time and unedited!
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