Yeasted Cornbread Recipes

CRUSTY PORTUGUESE-AMERICAN YEASTED CORNBREAD (NO KNEAD)

Steps:

• First Rise: In a medium bowl, gradually stir the boiling water into the cornmeal until smoothly incorporated. Let cool thoroughly. In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour, salt, and yeast. Gradually but vigorously stir the ice water into the cooled cornmeal until very smoothly blended. Then vigorously stir the cornmeal mixture into the bowl with the flour, scraping down the sides until the ingredients are thoroughly blended. If too dry to mix completely, a bit at a time, stir in just enough more ice water to blend the ingredients; don't over-moisten, as the dough should be stiff. If the dough is soft, vigorously stir in enough more flour to stiffen it. Brush or spray the top with vegetable oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. If desired, for best flavor or for convenience, you can refrigerate the dough for 3 to 10 hours. Then let rise at cool room temperature for 12 to 18 hours.
• Second Rise: Vigorously stir the dough, adding more flour if needed to yield a hard-to-stir dough. Using an oiled rubber spatula, fold the dough in towards the center all the way around. Brush or spray the top with oil. Re-cover with nonstick spray-coated plastic wrap.
• Let Rise Using Any of These Methods: For a 1-1/2- to 2-1/2-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; for a 1- to 2-hour accelerated rise, let stand in a turned-off microwave along with 1 cup of boiling-hot water; or for an extended rise, refrigerate, covered, for 4 to 12 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the dough doubles from the deflated size, removing the plastic if the dough nears it.
• Baking Preliminaries: 20 minutes before baking time, put a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 450°F Heat a 3-1/2- to 4-quart (or larger) heavy metal pot in the oven until sizzling hot (check with a few drops of water), then remove it, using heavy mitts. Taking care not to deflate the dough, loosen it from the bowl sides with an oiled rubber spatula and gently invert it into the pot. Don't worry if it's lopsided and raggedlooking; it will even out during baking. Generously spray or brush the top with water, then sprinkle over a tablespoon of cornmeal. Immediately top with the lid. Shake the pot back and forth to center the dough.
• Baking: Reduce the heat to 425°F Bake on the lower rack for 50 minutes. Remove the lid. Reduce the heat to 400°F Bake for 15 to 25 minutes longer, until the top is well browned and a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with just a few crumbs on the tip (or until the center registers 210°F to 212°F on an instant-read thermometer). Then bake for 5 minutes longer to ensure the center is baked through. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the loaf to the rack. Cool thoroughly.
• Serving and Storing: This tastes good warm but will cut better when cool. Cool completely before storing. To maintain the crisp crust, store in a large bowl draped with a clean tea towel or in a heavy paper bag. Or store airtight in a plastic bag or foil: The crust will soften, but can be crisped by heating the loaf, uncovered, in a 400°F oven for a few minutes. The bread will keep at room temperature for 3 days, and may be frozen, airtight, for up to 2 months.

YEAST CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Bring cold water and salt to boil in small pan on medium-high heat.
• Whisk in cornmeal a bit at a time.
• Reduce heat to low.
• Cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute, until consistency of thick mush.
• Cool to room temperature.
• Put warm water and granulated sugar in small bowl.
• Sprinkle in yeast.
• Stir.
• Let sit 10 minutes, until foamy.
• Put cornmeal mixture, yeast mixture, milk and brown sugar in bowl of stand mixer equipped with dough hook.
• On medium speed, blend in flour 1 cup at a time.
• Mix until dough is smooth and supple.
• Turn onto floured work surface.
• Knead three or four times.
• Place in large, greased bowl.
• Cover with kitchen towel.
• Leave in warm place till doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Butter 2 loaf pans (9-by-5-inch size).
• Divide dough in half.
• Pat into 2 loaves.
• Place in pans.
• Cover with kitchen towel.
• Let sit 45 minutes or until doubled in size.
• Brush tops lightly with oil.
• Bake in preheated 425F oven 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 350°F
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
• Cool on wire rack 5 minutes.
• Turn out of pans.
• Cool to room temperature before slicing.

YEASTED CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Combine flour, masa, sugar, salt and yeast in a large bowl.
• Add milk, butter and 2 eggs, stirring until smooth.
• Spread dough into a 13- x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size--about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until bread is done.
• Cool in pan for 5 minutes before serving warm.

YEAST-RAISED CORNBREAD

Steps:

• In a medium bowl whisk together the flour cornmeal and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a Kitchen-Aid type mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water. Add about 2/3 of the flour/cornmeal mixture. Now add the olive oil, honey, just TWO of the eggs, corn, 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/cornmeal mixture a bit at a time, letting it incorporate along the way - you might not need to use all of it. Keep adding until you achieve a dough that is tacky. It should clear the sides of the bowl but stick to the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it clears the bottom of the bowl, add a teaspoon or two of water.
• Dial up the speed a bit to medium, and keep mixing for about seven minutes. Turn the dough out 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, greased (olive oil) bowl, cover with a kitchen towl or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.
• Once the dough has doubled, turn it out onto the countertop. To make the rolls you see in the photo up above, start by cutting the dough into thirds - three big wedges. Pat each third into a square shape and cut each into six pieces - you will end up with 18 equal size pieces. Without over-handling, shape each piece into a ball and place 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 prepared pans. I imagine, you can also bake this dough freeform if you like.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Just before baking whisk the remaining egg and brush on the dough, sprinkle with cornmeal. Bake the rolls for 18-20 minutes on the middle rack, or until rolls are golden. If you are baking loaves it will take significantly longer. Turn out onto cooling racks. Serve slathered with salted honey-butter.