Updated Cornbread, in Muffin Format, with Sourdough Variation

Cornbread, cornbread, always will be mine...

Yeah, that was an attempt to play on And One's "Military Fashion Show." "Girlfriend's girlfriends never could be mine," girlfriend = GF, GF also = gluten-free, get it?

I made so much cornbread (like, a batch a week) when I first became gluten-free in 2011. My recipe then was heavily fruit-based, though I've made other variations since, including applesauce-really-fast, basil-beer, and blueberry. 





This past weekend, I made cornbread muffins for a barbecue dinner party. The last time I made cornbread (Fourth of July 2014) it turned out incredibly dry since I didn't know that the oven ran hot and I didn't have the hang of high-altitude baking. To remedy this problem, I added more oil, increased the amount of liquid (especially when using thirsty flours), and baked it for slightly less time.

While I don't usually list two recipes per post, the sourdough variation is essentially the same, with adjustments made for the addition of my starter. In keeping with the "fried crust" tradition, I preheated the greased muffin pan. That USA Pan muffin tin was an excellent investment a few years back.

 

Cornbread Muffins

• 1/4 cup warm water


• 1 tablespoon psyllium husk


• 1 cup nondairy milk


• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar


• 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for the pan


• 1/3 cup maple syrup OR 2 tablespoons liquid sweetener plus enough water to make 1/3 cup


• 1 cup fine grind yellow cornmeal (polenta works as well, but it will be gritty)


• 1 cup brown rice flour (or half sorghum and half brown rice flours)


• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum


• 4 teaspoons baking powder


• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Grease a 12-well muffin tin and place in the oven to preheat.

Mix warm water and psyllium in a small measuring cup and set aside.

In a large measuring cup, combine nondairy milk and cider vinegar.

In a large bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients.

Whisk together the congealed psyllium husk mixture, nondairy milk mixture, oil, and sweetener until combined.

Add wet to dry and mix well.

Remove preheated pan from oven and transfer batter to muffin wells.

Bake 18-20 minutes, rotating the pan in the middle of the baking time.

 The muffins are done cooking when they spring back when touched and toothpick-test clean.

Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a rack to cool completely.

 

---

I added the starter because I had a cup of unfed "throwaway" starter from when I fed my starter last week. While I intended to add it as the "sour" ingredient to replace the buttermilk and for flavour, it added a bit of rise, too.

Sourdough Cornbread Muffins

• 
  
  
  
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  
  
  • 1 tablespoon psyllium husk
  
  
  • 1 cup unfed sourdough starter
  
  
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (keep it in)
  
  
  • 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for the pan
  
  
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar dissolved in 3/4 cup water
  
  
  • 1 cup fine grind yellow cornmeal (polenta works as well, but it will be gritty)
  
  
  • 1 cup sticky rice flour
  
  
  • scant 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
  
  
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  
  
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  
  
  
  


• Instructions are the same as above, save a few things:


• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and preheat the greased pan the same.


• Mix all the wet ingredients together, including the starter. Then add them to the dry ingredients.


• Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 and bake for another 10-15 minutes.


• The muffins are done when they spring back to the touch AND test dry in the middle (the tops may brown and crack first before the centres are properly done).

 

The sourdough muffin on the left is more "muffiny"-looking than the regular corn ones on the right because the sourdough ones domed out. Both were equally delicious with honeyed Earth Balance margarine. TC was shredding pulled pork in the background of this picture.