Recipes: Uncle Sam's Sweet Corn Muffins

BY: Sam Parks (February 2011)



Author's Note:
So I just spent another afternoon on the phone with tech-support (lucky me!). So my wasted time is your gain with this post.  Hope you enjoy these gems as much as the employees at the Nook Tavern eating them!

Sweet Corn Muffins

Eat good food.  Drink good beer. And above all, stay classy!
 
These aren't your traditional Southern Corn Muffins! A hefty dose of sugar and fresh honey give these muffins a sugary punch that truly makes them muffin material. Baked until golden brown in a cast iron pan (for this recipe I like to use my grandmother's well seasoned pan-I know I'm a nerd), you won't be able to stop after just one.

Sweet Corn Muffins (2)

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all purpose flour, sifted (I recommend using the King Arthur brand)
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup yellow corn meal (for this picture I used white corn meal)
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 lb. butter, melted and then cooled (as always I recommend Land-O-Lakes unsalted butter)
2 extra large eggs at room temperature
1 egg yolk at room temperature (as with all eggs, I use Egg Land's Best)
1/4 cup honey

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Grease muffin tin, or cast iron mold (I recommend using a good dose of regular Pam)

Mix the flour, corn meal, and baking powder

Cream together the melted butter and sugar. When the mixture is homogeneous, and light, add the buttermilk, honey, and salt.

Next, is the tricky part. Divide the flour mixture into four equal portions. Add the first portion of flour to the liquid mixture. Then mix just until the flour is combined. Then add ONE egg. Mix until the egg is completely incorporated. Continue adding the flour and remaining eggs in this alternating pattern until everything is well mixed (you should start and end this sequence with flour).

Then spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tins. Be very careful not to overfill the pans. It is recommended that you preheat your muffin tin by placing it in the oven for approximately 5 minutes immediately before using it. This last step is not necessary, but does improve the final crust on your muffins, and is essential if you are using an intricate pan design.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into one of the muffins comes out cleanly. remove immediately from the pan.

ENJOY!