If you’ve ever been looking for the perfect accompaniment to a bubbling pot of slow cooker chili chances are a box of cornmeal mix has come to your rescue. With little more than an egg and some liquid you can transform the store-bought mix of cornmeal salt and chemical leavening agents (usually baking soda or baking powder) into a succulent skillet cornbread complete with that classic cornmeal crunch. But there’s so much more potential to a box of cornmeal mix just waiting to be unlocked by an enterprising home cook.
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 Mama Ray Ray In The Kitchen | 2022-11-27 14:26:35 |  56,378 Views |
The Secret Trick for Quick Cornbread
Whether you want to change up the texture or add a nuanced flavor a few unconventional ingredients can take this boring staple to the next level. Depending on which flavorful mix-ins you choose you can add a touch of sweetness or salty umami to your cornbread formula. Plus you can use decadent dairy to enhance and soften your cornbread crumbs. With these tricks up your sleeve you’ll find that a pre-made cornbread mix is the most versatile item in your pantry.
If you want to tackle the crumbly texture of your cornbread start by selecting a mix-in that adds a lot of fat to the batter. It promises both a refreshing tangy flavor and plenty of milk fat to make your quick bread tender. Sour cream is a tasty shortcut to tender cornbread. In fact sour cream is also the secret to a more tender pie crust. Why is it so useful for making tender baked goods? In addition to providing plenty of fat sour cream offers a boost in acidity which helps to weaken gluten strands and leads to an overall more tender crumb.
Keep in mind that this addition will thicken the overall cornbread batter making the baked goods firmer and less crumbly. To avoid overpowering the batter start by mixing in ⅓ to ½ cup of room-temperature sour cream per 8 ounces of boxed mix. If you need a quick substitute for sour cream an equal amount of full-fat Greek yogurt or crème fraîche will work in much the same way. Stay away from low-fat dairy as that rich milk fat is the key to a softer texture.
