So funny I forgot to laugh

"So funny I forgot to laugh." I have no idea if that's an expression people even use anymore, but it was certainly big when I was a kid. It sprang to mind again on Father's Day.

 

Some of you wanted to get me something, so I picked out: (1) a spatula that has a better angle for flipping pancakes than what I currently have (and only came in a two-pack; stake your claim to the other), and (2) The Life, Carrie Fountain's new book of poetry (here's one I like about a student who pulls Derrida into every conversation). I opened the spatulas first, then wondered about the second, which was shaped like a box, not a thin volume of poetry. I had really been looking forward to starting on the poems right away, so I asked Mom, sounding kinda crestfallen, "Was the book out of stock?" Mom, to her discredit, kept a straight face and said nothing. I tore the wrapping off the box and saw this:

 

The old gag gift. Except that it was, thankfully, just a gag box with The Life tucked safely inside. This is apparently Cassie's idea of humor (I blame Mom's genes, not mine), as she has reused the box on several occasions, to great effect for her and Mom on this go-round. Good thing she still has months remaining for me to forget this incident before her birthday.

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So yes, this is my fourth, and presumably last, cornbread recipe. In addition to my standard cornbread, I have a sweeter, fluffier cornbread and another one that uses only cornmeal for the gluten-free crowd. But I saw this one recently on Smitten Kitchen, where Deb Perelman adapted it from a Cook's Illustrated recipe. Deb said she had been searching for the perfect cornbread for years, before finally landing on this one, so I thought it was worth a shot. But first I went back to the Cook's Illustrated recipe and rescinded some of her small changes, then tweaked the directions to make them even easier, in my opinion anyway. (I think it's much easier to use a bullet-style blender and one large bowl to make this, rather than Deb's system of doing all of the mixing in a food processor.) This uses a whole stick of butter and you can certainly taste the buttery goodness in the final product. If it seems like too much to you, I'm sure you can get away with dialing it back to six tablespoons, and maybe add an extra ¼ cup of corn to the blender to make up for it. But we all think this is just right as is. I don't know if it's my "perfect, forever cornbread," but it will likely be my go-to from here on out.

 

All-Purpose Cornbread

Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Kids and More Best Recipes (2009) by the Editors of Cook’s Illustrated

Time: ~45 minutes (<15 minutes to make the batter)

Cook’s Illustrated developed this recipe using the widely available Quaker Yellow Corn Meal, which is finely ground. They say a stone-ground whole grain cornmeal will work “but will yield a drier and less tender cornbread.” I used my usual stone-ground whole grain Bob’s Red Mill Medium Grind Cornmeal and I actually prefer the grittier texture. You do you. Cook’s Illustrated also advocates for a Pyrex glass baking dish, which “yields a nice golden-brown crust,” but they say that a metal baking pan will also work. I can attest to the effectiveness of glass in crust development. In addition to an 8-inch square pan, you can also bake the cornbread in a 9-inch round skillet or cake pan, which have the same volume as an 8-inch square. Deb Perelman has instructions on Smitten Kitchen for how to make the entire recipe in a food processor, which cuts out the use of one bowl, so you can follow her directions if you prefer to do it that way. Personally, I find it quicker and easier to use a bullet-style blender and clean that and the bowl instead of the food processor.

Dry ingredients
210 grams (1¾ cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
150 grams (~1 cup) cornmeal (see note)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda

Wet ingredients
240 grams (1 cup) low-fat buttermilk or plain kefir
100 grams (~¾ cup) fresh or unthawed frozen corn
50 grams (¼ cup) light brown sugar
2 large eggs (~57 grams each still in the shell)
113 grams (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

    1. Place a rack in the center of the oven; heat to 400 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish (see note) with nonstick spray.
    2. In a large bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients.
    3. Place the buttermilk, corn, sugar, and eggs in a regular or (my preference) bullet-style blender (see note). Process until combined to your liking, up to 5 seconds if you want some corn lumps in your bread, longer if you want a smoother puree.
    4. Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients. Using a silicone spatula, stir until partly combined, leaving some streaks of flour. Pour in the melted butter and stir until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.
    5. Scrape the batter into the baking pan and smooth the surface. Bake until deep golden brown and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.
    6. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan onto the rack and cool for 10 more minutes. Cut into 9 large or 16 small squares and serve warm. Leftover bread will keep at room temperature for 2 days but the crust will soften.