Maplewood Cornbread
- 12 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 ¼ cups buttermilk
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups yellow cornmeal, fine or medium-coarse grind
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Heat oven to 400 degrees. On the stovetop, in a 11- or 12-inch cast iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan to lightly coat sides and bottom, until the foam subsides and the butter turns a deep nut brown. (Watch carefully to see that it does not burn.)
- Pour brown butter into a large bowl. (Do not wipe out the pan.) Whisk the maple syrup into the butter, then whisk in buttermilk. The mixture should be cool to the touch; if not, let cool before whisking in the eggs. Then whisk in the cornmeal, flours, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Place the skillet in the oven for 2 minutes.
- Remove the hot skillet from the oven and place on the oven. Pour in the batter. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into it emerges clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in the skillet for 10 minutes before slicing.
Shopping list: Butter, Maple syrup, buttermilk, eggs, cornmeal, wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking power, salt, making soda, toothpick