Sweet & Simple: 2012-02-12

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Corn Muffins

Polka dots are cheery!

Corn muffins are great – maybe even essential – to have in your baking repertoire. They work just as well with bacon and eggs for breakfast as they do with soup or chili later in the day. They also make a nice after school snack with a glass of milk. Unfortunately, they are often the size of softballs and too dry or too sweet or both. Ideally they should have a crunchy-ish top, be moist inside and have just a hint of sweetness. Well. That's how I like them!

This recipe is adapted from The Hay Day Country Market Cookbook (10th ed. New York: Workman, 1998) - one of my favs. It was originally for corn muffins with a dollop of raspberry jam in the middle. For me this is an all-purpose muffin. After making them once with jam, I omitted it.

If you over bake them, they will be hard as rocks and no amount of butter slathered on will fix 'em. Keep an eye on those muffins, friends!

Corn Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Preheat oven to 375º
Line a muffin tin with baking cups.
Have all ingredients at room temperature.
1 cup stone ground yellow cornmeal
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt).

In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the buttermilk and melted butter. The mixture will look curdled at this point.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients. Stir with a few swift strokes until the ingredients are moistened. Do not beat the mixture.

Divide the mixture evenly among the twelve muffin cups. A large-ish ice cream scoop/disher makes this easier.

Bake until the muffins are well risen and golden brown. About 12-15 minutes.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Day old muffins can be rewarmed in a 350º oven.