Tag: polenta

Cakes & Bakes: Skillet cornbread

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sliced skillet cornbread

When I was researching skillet cornbread recipes online, I learned that there are some strong beliefs about what is and isn’t ‘proper’ skillet cornbread. There are lots of heated debates going on on some food blogs!

Some people are purists, saying that it’s made with just cornmeal, buttermilk and egg in a smoking skillet with bacon grease; no wheat flour and no ‘extras’! Others see nothing wrong with adding sugar, corn kernels, jalapeños, avocado, bacon, cheese, honey…

Maybe it’s because I’m not an American from the Deep South, I’m not averse to adding a few extras. I also like slicing it horizontally while it’s still warm and slathering it with butter. Is that wrong or do they do that in Louisiana too?

Skillet cornbread

Skillet cornbread

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Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 fresh jalapeño chilli
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 225 g/8oz fine cornmeal polenta
  • 50 g/2oz plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 corn cob
  • 1 egg
  • 250 g/9oz buttermilk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC
  • Finely slice the chilli - do not remove the seeds
  • In the skillet, using 1 tbs of the vegetable oil, fry the chopped chilli over a low heat until softened. Remove from the skillet and set aside
  • Sift together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl
  • Slice the kernels from the cob and add to the dry mixture
  • Add the cooked chilli
  • Gently whisk the egg with the buttermilk before adding it to the mixture
  • Stir the mixture until well combined
  • Heat the skillet with the remaining 1tbs vegetable oil on the stove-top over a high heat
  • Add the mixture, using a spatula to spread it evenly in the skillet
  • Put the skillet into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top begins to lightly brown
  • Allow to cool slightly before slicing & serving
Keyword bread, cornbread, sweetcorn

Cakes & Bakes: Bolo de fubá com coco

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slice of bolo de fubá com coco | H is for Home

I’ve finally succumbed to the World Cup-mania – this is a Brazil-themed blog post! Brazilians have a sweet tooth apparently, and this bolo de fubá com coco is a national favourite. Bolo de fubá com coco translates as ‘cornmeal cake with coconut’.

It’s quite a densely textured cake –  so folding in the beaten egg whites is an important stage in the proceedings. What isn’t quite so necessary, but makes the job that much quicker, is using quite so many mixing bowls and different electric mixers. You may even say that the time you save on the mixing, you lose on all that extra washing up!

Using a Bundt tin is traditional but it’s not essential if you don’t have one, a large round cake tin will suffice. The cornmeal gives it a lovely yellow colour. It’s a tasty and very filling cake, so don’t cut yourself a massive slice! It’s a mid-afternoon with a cup of tea kind of cake.

Bolo de fubá com coco

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Ingredients
  

  • For the cake
  • 225 g/8oz unsalted butter room temperature
  • 330 g/11½oz caster sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 200 g/7oz plain flour
  • 250 g/9oz finely ground cornmeal
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 235 ml/fl oz coconut milk
  • 120 ml/fl oz milk
  • 100 g/oz dessicated coconut
  •  
  • For the topping
  • 2 tbs granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbs dessicated coconut
  •  
  •  

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 175ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4
  • Grease a Bundt cake tin or 23cm/9 inch round springform cake tin
  • In a large measuring jug, combine the coconut milk, milk and dessicated coconut and set aside
  • In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and cornmeal and set aside
  • Separate the egg yolks & whites. In another medium-sized mixing bowl, and preferably using an electric hand whisk, beat the egg whites into soft peaks. Set aside
  • Using an electric stand mixer on a medium speed, cream the butter and caster sugar
  • Gently whisk the egg yolks before gradually adding them to the butter & sugar mixture mixing on a low speed all the while
  • Still on a low speed, add flour & cornmeal mixture alternating with the coconut & milk mixture
  • Gently fold in the beaten egg whites until well combined
  • Put the mixture into the Bundt/cake tin and bake for 45 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes away clean
  • In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon and set aside
  • Allow the cake cool for at least 10 minutes before carefully removing it from the tin and transferring it on to a serving plate
  • Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar and dessicated coconut over the top

Cakes & Bakes: Lemon & polenta berry squares

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lemon & polenta berry squares on a cake plate with vintage Denby 'Arabesque' teapot | H is for Home #cake #recipe

This week, I attempted a cake (or more rightly, a bake) that I’d not done before – lemon & polenta berry squares.
cover of 1001 cupcakes, cookies & other tempting treats cookbook

It’s taken from 1001 Cupcakes, Cookies & Other Tempting Treats. It turned out really well, the berries kept it lovely and moist and the polenta gave it a bit of a crunch.

ingredients to make lemon & polenta berry squares
Here’s the recipe:

lemon & polenta berry squares on a cake plate with vintage Denby 'Arabesque' teapot | H is for Home #cake #recipe

Lemon & polenta berry squares

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Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • 175 g/6oz butter plus extra for greasing
  • 175 g/6oz caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 100 g/3½oz ground almonds
  • 150 g/5½oz polenta
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • finely grated rind of 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 300 g/10½oz frozen small berry fruits such as cranberries raspberries, blueberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants (I used a mixture of bluberries and strawberries sliced in half)
  • icing sugar to decorate

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 23cm/9inch shallow square cake tin and line base with baking paper
  • Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat together until light & fluffy, then gradually beat the eggs into the mixture until smooth
  • Add the ground almonds, polenta, baking powder, lemon rind and juice and stir together until well mixed. Stir in the fruit of your choice
  • Spoon the mixture into the tin and spread out evenly
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
  • Sift icing sugar lightly over to decorate and cut into squares