Northern Cornbread

After testing scores of recipes, we find that the best cornbread is made with stone-ground cornmeal, two leavenings, and two types of milk.

The challenge: While all cornbreads are quick to make and bake, there are two very distinct styles: Northern and Southern. Southerners use 100 percent white cornmeal, and they like their cornmeal crumbly, dry, and flat -- about one inch thick. Most Northerners prefer sweeter, lighter, and higher golden cornbreads, which they achieve by adding a little sugar and combining white flour and yellow cornmeal. In perfecting homemade Northern cornbread, we aimed for a high-rising, moist cornbread, one with a rich corn taste and handsome golden color.

The solution: Among the ingredients we tested, we found the best flavor, texture, and rise resulted from a 1:1 ratio of cornmeal to all-purpose flour. We thought we liked a fairly sweet Northern cornbread, but found that a generous amount of sugar made the cornbreads taste like a dessert bread. In test batches without sugar, though, we missed it. We also tried honey, molasses, and light brown sugar, but we did not like the taste. In the end, the perfect taste was four teaspoons of sugar for a batch of cornbread. Also, we found that a combination of half milk and half buttermilk baked the best cornbread with a wonderful taste, light texture, handsome yellow-gold interior, high rise, and a brown crust with some crunch.

GOLDEN NORTHERN CORNBREAD

Makes 9 servings

This cornbread is moist and light, with the rich taste of corn. Use stone-ground or water-ground cornmeal for the best taste and texture. Either yellow or white cornmeal bakes into a handsome, delicious cornbread.

1 cup yellow or white stone-ground or water-ground cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra softened butter for greasing pan

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat to 425 degrees. Grease a 9-by-9-by-2-inch metal pan.

2. Stir cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl. Push dry ingredients up side of bowl to make a well.

3. Crack eggs into well and stir lightly with wooden spoon, then add buttermilk and milk. Stir wet and dry ingredients quickly until almost combined. Add melted butter; stir until ingredients are just combined.

4. Pour batter into greased pan. Bake until top is golden brown and lightly cracked and edges have pulled away from side of pan, about 25 minutes.

5. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool slightly, 5 to 10 minutes. Cut cornbread into squares and serve warm. (Pan can be wrapped in foil up to 1 day. Reheat cornbread in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.)

GOLDEN CORNBREAD WITH CHEDDAR

Follow recipe for Golden Northern Cornbread, omitting sugar. After adding butter, quickly fold in 1 cup (2 1/2 ounces) shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.

GOLDEN CORNBREAD WITH JALAPEÑOS

Follow recipe for Golden Northern Cornbread, omitting sugar. After adding butter, quickly fold in one small jalapeño, seeded and minced, for mild chile flavor. For bolder heat use up to two jalapeños that have been minced but not seeded.

GOLDEN CORNBREAD WITH BACON

To end up with 1/2 cup bacon needed for this recipe, cut 8 ounces sliced bacon into small dice, then fry until well browned and crisp. Drain, cool, then set aside until ready to fold into batter. Follow recipe for Golden Northern Cornbread, omitting sugar. After adding butter, quickly fold in crumbled bacon bits.

September, 1995
Original article and recipes by Judy Monroe