The Fresh Loaf

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Corn Bread - not the quick kind

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

Corn Bread - not the quick kind

Another formula from "Advanced Bread and Pastry"  - it's a yeast bread with nearly 40% of corn flour and corn meal, which yields a strong corn flavor. The formula uses both firm preferment and liquid poolish, the former for strength (since the corn flour/meal ratio is relatively high), the latter for extra flavor. There's no sugar in the dough, but corn flour/meal has a natural sweetness that shines through . I mostly stuck to the original recipe, but did increase hydration a little bit, even at 70%, the dough is on the drier side, next time, I might increase even more.

-poolish
Bread Flour, 89g
water, 89g
salt, 1/8tsp
yeast, 1/8tsp

1. mix and leave at room temp for 12-16hours

-preferment
Bread Flour, 195g
water, 128g
yeast, 1/8tsp
salt, 3.55g

2. mix and leave at room temp for one hour, put in fridge overnight

-final dough

Bread Flour, 67.5g
corn flour, 177.5g
cornmeal, 28g
water, 155g (about 30g more than original)
salt, 7g
yeast, 3.5g
butter, 4g

poolish, all

preferment, all

 

3. Mix and autolyse for 30min. knead at medium speed for 3 min, until gluten starts to develope.

4. Bulk rise at 80F for 1.5 hour, S&F at 30 and 60min. The dough is fairly strong.

5. Divide into two, round and rest for 20 to 30min. shape: for one piece I shaped into triangle, the other shaped according to this video. Proof at 76F for about one hour. The dough would've expanded noticably but not doubled, when poked lightly, it will spring back slowly.

6. Score , creatively. The dough is on the stiffer side, so it scores very easily.

7. Bake at 450F for 40min, the first 15 with steam.

LOVE how both loaves looked, I thought the exterior is as "corn-ish" as how it tastes.

 

Nice crackly crust, with good volume/ovenspring

 

Crumb is even, even a bit "fluffy", without big holes - as expected due to higher ratio of corn flour/meal, and relatively less water.

 

If you like quick cornbread or corn tortilla, which we do, you will love how this bread tastes. Not a "sweet bread" per se, but with a strong sweet corn flavor.

 

Easy and tasty, looks impressive too.

 

Sending this to Yeastspotting.

Comments

RonRay's picture
RonRay

There are some fine examples of bread art showing up in post on TFL, perhaps, there should be a showcase forum... LBA on TFL... ;-)

txfarmer, you have an artist's soul.

Ron

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

Thanks Ron! I am a tone deaf frustrated painter with two left feet - an artist's soul trapped in an engineer's body. :P

RonRay's picture
RonRay

That is one unusual description of anyone, much less one's self...You do beautifully to overcome such "limitations" LOL (º¿º) Ron

arlo's picture
arlo

Nicely done. And why doesn't it surprise me you want to increase the hydration!

Thought it was funny, your corn scoring pattern is very reminiscent of what was expected for our scoring at the last bakery I worked at on our yeasted corn bread. Minus the side slashes. Of course yours is very lovely!

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

Were the corn breads in your bakery batards? The side slashes are there to ensure a triangular shape, I am sure an oval shaped bread would do fine without those.

dstroy's picture
dstroy

Those are really beautiful! I love the artwork you did on both. As a crust-lover, I'd probably be fighting for dibs on that tip of the corn-braid on that one loaf too ;)

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

Ha, you and I would have to fight it out for the tip - I am a crust lover too!

SallyBR's picture
SallyBR

Absolutely wonderful, TxFarmer

as others said, works of art in form of bread!

 

 

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

Thanks Sally! Haven't "seen you around" for a while, hope everything is going well!

breadsong's picture
breadsong

Hello txfarmer,
What a beautiful presentation for corn bread.
I may borrow? copy? pay homage to? these shaping/scoring ideas later this summer; 
I was looking for ideas for corn bread, for corn-harvest time.
Thanks :^)
from breadsong

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

Thanks breadsong! Can't wait to see your creations.

Syd's picture
Syd

Beautiful, txfarmer!

Syd

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

Thanks Syd!

rayel's picture
rayel

Both lovely breads, txfarmer, I really like the flourishes on both the scoring and the braid. Whole cornmeal is wondrous stuff. I love the flavor.  It's amazing how well the loaves rose and sprung with that much cornmeal/flour. Really nice pictures.

Ray

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

Thanks Ray, I love the cormeal taste too.

gary.turner's picture
gary.turner

"butter, 4g"

Is that a typo? Should that be 40g?

cheers,

gary

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

The formula in the book indeed says 4g (actually 1/8oz since the book uses imperial units), ridiculously little. No idea whether it's a mistake, but doesn't seem to affect the outcome negatively. I might skip it all together next time.

gary.turner's picture
gary.turner

That has got to be an error. I can't find a corrigendum anywhere, including the book's companion site.

Your braid reminds me of my sister at about age four. She had long corn-silk blond braids; one of which she took the scissors to.  Was Mom ever po'd. :D  Had you only posted last week, I might have tried to emulate your loaf for her sixty-first birthday on the sixth.

When I do try the recipe, I think I'd go with 40–60gr of bacon drippings. Not too many flavors so perfectly complement the flavor of corn.

cheers,

gary

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

If it's an error, it has to be a very consistent error, because the amount in "final dough" section and "total formula" section are consistent. However, I do think bacong dripping would be PERFECT for this bread. :) In fact next time I may add some molasses to complement the corn flavor.

gary.turner's picture
gary.turner

You are a fully assimilated Southern Belle.

cheers y'all,

gary

gary.turner's picture
gary.turner

The "corn flour": Is that actual corn flour (ground corn), or is it masa harina (ground hominy)?

cheers,

gary

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

The book calls for corn flour, and this is what I used.

charbono's picture
charbono

If you used masa harina instead of corn flour, it's no wonder you needed extra water.

 

Mini Oven's picture
Mini Oven

My dear, you win hands down with the more elegant proportions and presentation!  Wow!

Lady, you got class!   :)     

txfarmer's picture
txfarmer

Oh thanks Mini, that's a very nice compliment.:)

Winnish's picture
Winnish

Amazing! It's absolutely beautiful !

postino's picture
postino

I'm sorry but I don't know what S&F at 30 and 60 min. means. Any help?

jackie9999's picture
jackie9999

Quote:
I'm sorry but I don't know what S&F at 30 and 60 min. means. Any help?

From the Handbook ( link at top )

Stretch and Fold: This method adds about an hour to the rise of an ordinary yeasted loaf, but when you’re working with sourdoughs or yeasted breads that have a long rise anyway, it doesn’t make that much difference. And it takes hardly active time at all – just a few minutes total. Really!

Mix the ingredients with a spoon until hydrated. Cover and wait 30 minutes to 1 hour. After this rest, scrape the dough out of the bowl and stretch it to about twice its length, if possible. For the first fold, the dough will still be pretty shaggy, so only go as far as you can without ripping. Fold the dough like a letter, give it a quarter turn, and then stretch and fold once again. Place it back in the bowl and cover.

Repeat this folding process twice more with 20-30 minutes in between each one.

More information and a video may be found here: http://www.sourdoughhome.com/stretchandfold.html