Sweet Brown Butter Cornbread

As far as versatility goes, corn bread transcends the seasons... Summer, Winter, those other two! It can't be stopped. Bring it to a BBQ but keep a personal stash. Make a stuffing out of it but don't expect leftovers. I could go on but I have to finish the rest of this post then eat an entire batch of cornbread!

This particular incarnation of our superhero starch has a few trick's up its unitard sleeves. First, but not hardly the most exciting, there is sour cream all mixed in there for amazing moisture and texture. The acidity of the sour cream mixed with the baking soda makes this corn bread moist and light at the same time. Secondly, and absolutely the most exciting, is the addition of that old nutty friend, brown butter!

I'm not saying nutty like the butter is a crazy ingredient, which it could possibly be considered, I'm saying it tastes nutty. In that rich, deep way that only brown butter can achieve in a bread of this kind.

You get it. You love brown butter, and that's okay! Loud and proud, my friends. 

Um... Here's how to make this.

Brown that butter up!! The key is to remove it from the heat right as it becomes golden and aromatic. Just like basically all foods, the butter will continue to cook for a while after being removed. Now, for this recipe I cooked all my stuff in a cast iron skillet. I'm not saying that this is the only way to make cornbread but I'm also not, not saying that.

Here's a skillet full of butter. You're welcome, Paula Dean.

Almost there...

...and here is a skillet full of brown butter You're welcome, everyone in the world who likes nice things!

But seriously, see that light golden tone? PERFECT.

Then you mix your dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in another and mix 'em up. Not too much though, overmixing is no good. Basic rule of thumb: don't overmix flour based batters unless you want them chewy. Mixing flour too much can activate the gluten molecules which causes more elasticity in pastries. This can be excellent in pizza crust, not so excellent in cornbread.

I melted some more butter in my skillet because I enjoy punishing my body for consuming something so delicious. Just kidding! I did it because I LOVE BUTTER! Then I baked and cooled and enjoyed with honey.

This cornbread is quite the specimen. Perfectly salty sweet and a little bit tangy from the sour cream. It has a nice crunchy edge from the melted butter in the pan along with the ideal amount of crumbly-ness that is always present in a good cornbread. Oh yeah, and it has BROWN BUTTER in it. Not to overreact, but brown butter is the nectar f the gods. If the gods drank golden saturated fat. It adds another flavor to this cornbread which sets it apart from its sad ordinary brethren that will make you never want to go back to the way things were. Did I overreact? You be the judge!

Don't worry, you can have the recipe too:

Sweet Brown Butter Cornbread

Serves: 6-12 (depending if I'm over for dinner)   

Prep Time: 10 Minutes     Cook Time:20-25 Minutes     Total Time: 30-35 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 Cups Yellow Cornmeal
• 1 1/3 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 Tablespoons White Sugar
• 2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1/8 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 6 Tablespoons (plus some to grease the pan)
• 2 Large Eggs
• 3/4 Cups Milk (any percent)
• 3/4 Cup Sour Cream (full fat)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Cook 6 tablespoons of butter over medium heat until browned, removed from heat immediately and let rest for a few minutes! This will take about 5 minutes. (butter will burn fast after it's reached a browned state) 
3. In a medium bowl whisk eggs, milk, and sour cream thoroughly, slowly add brown butter. Note: if the butter is too hot the eggs with cook, allow butter to cool slightly after browning.
4. In a large bowl mix cornmeal, flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda
5. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
6. Pour batter into greased baking dish. Note: I used about 2 tablespoons of butter to grease a 9-inch cast iron skillet. You can also use an 8x8 baking dish or a cupcake tray sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden around the edges and springy in the center. Let cool before slicing