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From America's Test Kitchen
Corn bread can be sweet and cakey (the Northern version) or savory and light (the Southern version). We wanted a combination of the two. And most important, we wanted our corn bread to be bursting with corn flavor.
The secret to corn bread with real corn flavor was pretty simple: Use corn, not just cornmeal. While fresh corn was best, frozen was nearly as good, and pureeing the kernels in a food processor made them easy to use while eliminating tough, chewy kernels. For flavoring, buttermilk provided a tangy flavor, while light brown sugar enhanced the naturally sweet flavor of the corn. We couldn’t assume everyone would own the cast-iron skillet in which Southern corn breads traditionally get their thick crust, so we compensated by baking the bread at a higher than conventional temperature, producing a crunchy crust full of toasted corn flavor.
Makes one 8-inch Square
Before preparing the baking dish or any of the other ingredients, measure out the frozen kernels and let them stand at room temperature until needed. When corn is in season, fresh cooked kernels can be substituted for the frozen corn. This recipe was developed with Quaker yellow cornmeal; a stone-ground whole-grain cornmeal will work but will yield a drier and less tender cornbread. We prefer a Pyrex glass baking dish because it yields a nice golden-brown crust, but a metal baking dish (nonstick or traditional) will also work. The cornbread is best served warm; leftovers can be wrapped in foil and reheated in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
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