Corn Muffins
makes 12
NOTE: Adding
more sugar, another egg, and some cake flour turns cornbread into
muffins. The flour and egg help create a cakier (less crumbly)
texture, while the sugar makes the muffins seem less savory. This
batter is fairly thin; if you like, transfer the batter to a
1-quart measuring cup and pour it into the greased muffin tin. If
you like a cakier, sweet cornbread, like those made in the North,
bake this batter in a greased 8-inch cast-iron skillet or square
pan for 25 minutes.
Vegetable cooking spray or unsalted butter for greasing muffin tin
13/4 cups yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
1/2 cup cake flour
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup rapidly boiling water
11/4 cups buttermilk
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray 12-hole muffin tin with vegetable cooking spray or coat lightly with butter.
2. Measure 1/2 cup cornmeal into medium bowl. Whisk remaining cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in small bowl; set aside.
3. Pour 1/3 cup boiling water all at once into the 1/2 cup cornmeal; whisk quickly to combine. Continue adding water, a tablespoon at a time, until mixtures forms thick mush (see figure 11. Whisk in buttermilk gradually, breaking up lumps until smooth, then whisk in eggs. Stir dry ingredients into mush mixture until just moistened. Stir in melted butter just until incorporated. Ladle batter into greased muffin tin, filling holes almost to rim.
4. Bake until muffins are golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Set tin on wire rack to cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove muffins from tin and serve warm or at room temperature.