Corn Bread Actually

This corn bread is actually bread- not the crumbly cake thing that calls itself cornbread. This is light and delicious and perfect for toast and sandwiches. A most exciting find from an artisan bread cookbook:

1 1/2 c unbleached bread flour
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1/4 c. lukewarm water

Combine flour and yeast in a large bowl, then beat in the water. This will be a gloppy batter. Cover tightly and ferment until it is very bubbly and well risen- up to two hours.

2/3 c. lukewarm water
2 1/2 c. unbleached bread flour
1 c. plus 2 Tb cornmeal
3/4 c. fresh corn kernels (about 1 large ear)
2 large eggs plus 1 for glaze)
2 Tb honey
1 1/2 Tb vegetable or olive oil
1 Tb salt

Add the water to the yeast mixture. Then add the flour, cornmeal, corn, 2 eggs, honey, and oil. Knead about five minutes with dough hooks in a bread mixer. Add the salt and knead 3 more minutes.
This is a soft, sticky dough.
Don't be afraid of the corn kernels! They will completely blend into the dough and you will never see them. And if you do, be happy.

Let dough rise for up to 2 hours.

Grease to bread pans. Shape two loaves. Cover and rise again for up to 2 hours.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat remaining egg until blended and brush the tops of the loaves with it. Bake breads on the bottom rack of your oven for 30 minutes, rotate and cook 30 minutes more. Remove the breads from the pans right out of the oven and cool on a rack.