November 12, 2011 - 11:17am
Corn Bread
Several years ago Bread Alone sold a loaf they called corn bread that they no longer produce. Although I have gotten close to replicating it I have not been totally successful, I have tried contacting Daniel Leader several times to ask for the recipe with no response, and have previously written in baking blogs to see if anyone knew this bread and the recipe, and again, without success.
So here I go again, if you are familiar with his corn bread and know the recipe please share it.
Thank you, Frank
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Frank,
One of our members posted on Jewish rye corn bread a little while back. There are others in the search tool.
Eric
I have a copy of the Leader's book "Bread Alone" and there is a loaf that has cornmeal, cilantro, and coarse black pepper in it. Is that the loaf you are looking for?
It's a wonderful loaf...I made 6 loaves for my oldest daughter's wedding reception and it was a really big hit. Only empty bags left and rave reviews.
Frank,
Hamelman has a yeasted corn bread recipe in Bread that I have made quite a few times. I like it a lot. If you substitute the fine cornmeal for medium it works fine, just ensure you let the meal to soak significantly longer. The flavor improves dramatically on day 2, which is such a lovely surprise.
If you haven't tried it, maybe give in a shot. For quick corn bread, I used Dorie Greenspan's Corniest Corn Muffins from: Baking: From My Home to Yours. I cut the sugar way back, add crushed black pepper, and use 50% white flour and 50% wheat flour. These changes elevate the flavors and increase the fiber content.
-Arlene
It tastes soooo good, hubby eats it without anything for a quick snack. I added 2 Tablespoons of sugar to the dough. I also noted that there was a slight misprint in the recipe. It calls for 8 oz of fine cornmeal (parenthesis 1/4 cup). If someone uses cups, make sure it is 1 1/4 cups.
anna
Thanks for the tips
Something to ponder: corn meal is typically course and I have found that my results are always better, regardless of recipe by doing the following:
1) if possible either purchase finely ground corn meal or if you grind flour, run the typically coarse meal thru you mill and it will end up almost like finely ground flour- a lighter corn bread will result.
2) Incorporate all ingredients other than the leavening. Let the batter sit for one hour in your mixing bowl covered by plastic wrap. Then add leavening, lighty mix/fold in leavening, then put the batter into your baking pan/muffin pan. This allows the ingredients to soak up the moisture in the recipe and further results in a softer, lighter end product. Buttermilk is recommended too!
I discovered this by accident years ago when I bought a 25lb sack of unmilled organic corn from a health food store. I ground my own and when it came out like fine flour I noticed a big improvement vs my prior attemps using the more typical course ground "Quaker in the box on the shelf type" cornmeal. And if autolyze works well for bread, why not muffins? I do the long soak when making bran muffins too, also with improved results from soaking than not...
Now I am very curious as to the recipe you are seeking!
First off, a BIG thank you to all for your thoughts.
The corn bread I am trying to make is very similar to the Hamelman yeasted corn bread recipe that appears in Bread that Arlene suggested. It has a hard crust, a dusting of coarse corn meal on top, a good rise with a fairly tight crumb, and above all, delicious. One of my favorite ways of eating it is to lightly toast it and spread some butter and raspberry preserve on top. H0wever similar Hamelman's corn bread is it is not the same so my quest continues. Since I have this specific taste in mind I am affraid that no other bread, no matter how good it is, will do.
Once again, thanks to all, Frank
Frank,
You never responded to Betty R. Is this the recipe?
Fenchel2c
Hi Betty
I did not mean to overlook your suggestion and I am grateful for your thoughtfulness. I am familiar with both the corn bread recipes in Daniel Leader's book "Local Breads" and the corn bread he baked and sold out of his bakery, Bread Alone, and they are not the same.
The corn bread from his bakery has a real oven spring and soft richness that I have not been able to replicate when working from his recipe several times. Furthermore, the crumb is sweeter with a more pronounced corn flavor. The bakery product has corn meal sprinkled on the crust that gives a real crunch when you bite into it.
Hamilman's and Reinhart's Corn Bread actually come closer to the taste of the Bread Alone product then the recipe in Local Breads, but then again they do not use rye flour in their recipes.
I have been trying to replicate this bread for the longest time and it seems that I may have lost my way thinking that the bread I feel in love with had rye flour. I have tried contacting Daniel Leader countless times asking him to share this recipe on the grounds that he no longer sells this bread. I really do not fault him for not getting back to me since we all seem to get caught up in our own affairs and the life of a baker has to be very demanding.
Frank
And what proportion do you make bread? In what proportion do you take flour and how long do you let the yeast ferment? It's just that according to some recipes, the dough needs to be fermented for a day and then the baked goods have a completely different taste.