cornmeal meet yeast. yeast, meet cornmeal. now mix and mingle like on millionaire matchmaker.
don't wear those stockings and smile more.
i am a cornbread lover. and sometimes, there are nights when cornbread is the only answer.
we were planning to make soup. perfect
so cozy honeysweet cornbread there was.
lifted with yeast instead of baking powder.
with the last bag of summer corn from the freezer.
sunflower seed nuttiness
gorgeously puffed golden tops.
they're lighter and a bit more bread-y. and they are downright dreamy with a swoop of honey butter. come on. let's eat more cornbread.
and the next day, i mashed some avocado with a heavy dose of lemon and salt, dolloped it right in the middle, and called it snacktime.
Yeast-Raised Cornbread Muffins
adapted from 101 cookbooks
4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp fine grained sea salt
1 (1/4 ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp honey
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups fresh or frozen corn, if frozen defrosted to room temperature
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2/3 cup chopped chives
prepare your pans by rubbing them with olive oil, dust with cornmeal, then tap out any extra. or line with muffin papers. set aside. in a medium bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt. set aside.
in the bowl of a kitchen aid mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. add about 2/3 of the flour/cornmeal mixture. now add the olive oil, honey, and just TWO of the eggs, corn, sunflower seeds, chives and begin to mix with the dough hook attachment at low speed. as the dough is starting to come together mixing begin adding more of the flour mixture a it at a time, letting it incorporate along the way (you might not need to use all of it). keep adding until the dough is tacky and clears the sides of the bowl but sticks to the bottom. if the dough is too wet and sticks to the sides, add more flour. if it clears the bottom of the bowl, add more water.
up the speed to medium and keep mixing for 7 minutes. turn dough onto a floured countertop, knead a few times, gather the dough into a ball and rub with a bit of olive oil. place in a large bowl greased with olive oil and cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.
once doubled, turn it out onto the countertop. to make the rolls, start by cutting dough into thirds - three big wedges. pat each third into a square shape and cup each into six pieces. shape each piece into a ball and place in the muffin tins. let the rolls rise in a warm spot until roughly doubled - another hour.
*alternately, if you want to bake two loaves, cut the dough into two equal pieces, shape and place in pans.
preheat oven to 375. just before baking whisk the remaining egg and brush on the dough, sprinkle with cornmeal. bake for 18-20 minutes on the middle rack, or until the rolls are golden.
