Corn Muffins with Dates
Awaiting Trial Recipe version 1 · Filed by the Court (seed pool) · Adapted from 'Corn Muffins with Dates' — Farmers' Bulletin 565, 'Corn Meal as a Food and Ways of Using It,' USDA, issued Jan. 22, 1914, revised Sept. 1917 (public domain, U.S. federal work). Measures and oven temperatures modernized. Conversion: the original's 1 cup wheat flour (125 g) is swapped straight for a gum-containing 1:1 blend at the same weight (USDA basis 125 g/cup); a 10-minute batter rest is added. The original's text says 'eggs' in the method but lists one egg; one egg is used. Distinct from the pool's Blueberry Muffins and from Corn-Meal Muffins above — dates and a pre-cooked meal base.
The cornmeal is cooked with the milk, sugar, and butter before the flour and eggs go in, and chopped dates are folded through. The pre-cooking keeps the crumb moist and the finished muffins keep well.
Why this complexity: Meal mixture is pre-cooked in a double boiler and cooled.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white cornmeal
- 125 g gluten-free 1:1 baking blend (with gum) (about 1 cup), for the original 1 cup wheat flour (125 g, USDA basis)
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter, plus more for the pans
- 1 large egg, well beaten
- 4 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
- 1/2 cup dates, cut in small pieces
Method
- Heat the oven to 400°F (a quick oven). Butter muffin pans.
- Cook the cornmeal, milk, brown sugar, salt, and butter together in a double boiler for 10 minutes. Let cool until lukewarm.
- Stir in the beaten egg and the dates.
- Sift the blend with the baking powder and stir in. Beat thoroughly.
- Rest the batter 10 minutes, then fill the pans about two-thirds full and make about 25 minutes, until risen and golden. (The batter can also be made in a loaf pan.)
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