Tuesday, March 8, 2011

custard-filled cornbread

Uh, oh.  I might perhaps have lost my mind.

To the friends who have called in the last two weeks, who have yet get a response from me, next week, next week!
To the mothers of children who have birthdays in the next two weeks who all want Rosie to attend, I am sorry.  She will attend.  I will get back to you too.
To the IRS, my taxes are in the mail.  Aren't you impressed?
To all of the utility companies to whom I have late bills, I am sorry.  I have the money, but I am out of stamps, and I will get to the post office soon.
To my editor- I'll be done by the end of the week!  (that's right, I said by the end of the week! hooray!)
And to the custard-filled cornbread who slid off my seat and overturned on the floor of my car, shame on you. Didn't you know how delicious you would be?  How heartbreaking it was to lose you?  How, in these days when I have (okay, okay, I'll say it!) entirely overstretched myself, that I needed you to stay whole, and lovely, and filled with custard the way you should be?

Of course your cornbread might not look like mine.  Maybe your cornbread will have the good sense to stay home.

Good sense! Where have you gone!


Custard-Filled Cornbread
from  Molly Wizenberg, A Homemade Life

(This is an incredible magical recipe by the way.  My friend Amy introduced it to me, and although the steps will seem a little strange, you end up with something wild and delicious)

serves 6

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons distilled vinegar
1 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter an 8-inch square pan or 9-inch round pan.  Put the buttered dish in the preheating oven. 
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda.  Set aside.
Add the eggs to the cooled butter and whisk well.  Then add the sugar, salt, milk, and vinegar and whisk again.  Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture while whisking constantly.  The batter will be thin and smooth.  Remove the heated pan from the oven, and pour the batter into it. Then, slowly pour the heavy cream into the center of the batter.  Do not stir or knock the pan.  Bake for 1 hour, or until golden on top.  Serve warm.  Reheats beautifully for breakfast with maple syrup.

3 comments:

  1. This reminds me of a magical cornbread we had in Napa Valley and which we tried in vain to recreate numerous times. I am full of renewed hope! The one we had was baked in a cast iron skillet...do you think this would work in one or is the glass dish part of the magic?

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  2. Well, it was magical in a different way than usual. I still enjoyed the post and can't wait to bake the corn/custard/bread.

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