Delicious Cornbread with Rich Corn Flavor
Cornbread Recipe Made by Fermenting with Fine Cornmeal and Olive Oil
This cornbread is made by leavening dough with yeast, incorporating fine cornmeal, olive oil, and bread flour. The finished bread boasts a crispy crust and a delightful, rich corn aroma. It’s delicious toasted in a toaster or enjoyed freshly baked and sliced. Let’s bake this fragrant and savory cornbread!
Basic Ingredients
-
Poolish (Pre-ferment)
- 63g Bread Flour
- 63g Water
- A tiny pinch of Instant Dry Yeast (about 1 pinch)
Main Dough
- 187g Bread Flour
- 63g Fine Cornmeal
- 158g Water
- 5g Salt
- 1/2 tsp Instant Dry Yeast
- 13g Olive Oil
- 63g Bread Flour
- 63g Water
- A tiny pinch of Instant Dry Yeast (about 1 pinch)
Main Dough
- 187g Bread Flour
- 63g Fine Cornmeal
- 158g Water
- 5g Salt
- 1/2 tsp Instant Dry Yeast
- 13g Olive Oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
The night before you plan to bake, start by making the ‘poolish,’ a pre-ferment. Combine all the poolish ingredients (bread flour, water, and yeast) in a bowl with room-temperature water. Mix well until there are no lumps. Cover the bowl and let it ferment at room temperature (around 21°C or 70°F) for 12 to 16 hours.
Step 2
The next morning, check your poolish. It should be bubbly and have risen to about two to three times its original volume. If the room temperature was cooler than 21°C overnight, it might take longer than 15 hours. It’s important to monitor the poolish; if it over-rises and collapses, it can become over-fermented. The photo shows a good stage to use it. While ample fermentation enhances flavor, be careful not to let it over-proof, as this can negatively affect the bread’s texture and taste.
Step 3
Now, prepare the ‘fine cornmeal,’ a key ingredient for your cornbread. If you don’t have fine cornmeal, you can achieve a similar texture by grinding medium-grind cornmeal in a food processor or blender until it’s finely ground. This will contribute to the bread’s texture and nutty flavor.
Step 4
About 15 minutes before your poolish is ready, begin soaking the cornmeal for the main dough. Take about 10-15g of the water designated for the main dough and set it aside for adjusting the dough consistency later. Pour the remaining water into the fine cornmeal and let it soak for 15 minutes. This allows the cornmeal to soften and absorb moisture. The water temperature is also important. To achieve a final dough temperature of 24°C (75°F), use water around 28°C (82°F) if your room temperature is about 22-23°C (72-73°F). Keep in mind that the friction from your mixer (I use a Kenwood 550) can also increase the dough temperature, so adjust accordingly.
Step 5
Once the cornmeal has soaked for 15 minutes, combine the poolish, soaked cornmeal, and all other main dough ingredients (bread flour, instant yeast, salt, and the reserved water) in your stand mixer. Mix on low speed (speed 1) for about 2 minutes and 30 seconds. This initial stage is crucial for bringing the ingredients together into a shaggy mass. Adjust the dough’s consistency at this point by adding the reserved 10-15g of water if needed, aiming for a medium-stiff texture.
Step 6
With the consistency adjusted, increase the mixer speed to medium (speed 2) and knead for another 4 to 5 minutes. This step develops a moderate amount of gluten. You’re looking for a rough windowpane effect – the dough should be able to stretch thinly without tearing immediately, but it doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth like a high-gluten bread. Cornbread doesn’t require extensive gluten development.
Step 7
The target final dough temperature for this cornbread is 24°C (75°F). If the dough is warmer than 24°C, fermentation will proceed more quickly. If it’s cooler, the fermentation will be slower. This temperature is ideal for achieving the best flavor and texture in your cornbread.
Step 8
Lightly oil a clean bowl and transfer the dough into it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid. Let the dough undergo its first proof (bulk fermentation) at around 24°C (75°F) for a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes. Midway through the first proof, at about 45 minutes, perform a ‘stretch and fold.’ Gently lift one side of the dough, stretch it upwards, and fold it over the center. Rotate the bowl and repeat this for all four sides. This helps build dough strength and ensures even fermentation.
Step 9
After the stretch and fold, continue the first proof at 24°C for another 45 minutes, bringing the total first proof time to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Step 10
Once the first proof is complete, gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Shape it into a round ball and let it rest, covered, for 10 to 20 minutes. This ‘bench rest’ or ‘intermediate proof’ allows the gluten to relax, making the dough easier to shape in the next step.
Step 11
After the bench rest, shape the dough into your desired form. You can create an oval shape or a round loaf, depending on your preference.
Step 12
Carefully place the shaped dough onto a proofing basket (banneton) or a baking pan that has been lightly dusted with flour. It’s now ready for its second proof.
Step 13
Allow the dough to proof at around 24°C (75°F) for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. The dough should increase in volume by about 1.5 to 2 times its original size. Don’t let it over-proof at this stage.
Step 14
About 30 minutes into the second proof, preheat your oven to its highest temperature. Place a cast-iron skillet (like a Dutch oven) and a stainless steel bowl inside the oven to preheat as well. Creating steam in the oven during the initial baking phase is key to achieving a crispy crust. If your oven doesn’t have a steam function, you can simulate steam by placing ice cubes in the hot skillet. Lightly dust the top of your proofed dough with flour and score it with a sharp knife or lame to create decorative cuts (coupes). Carefully transfer the dough onto the preheated cast-iron skillet. Toss 2-3 ice cubes into the hot skillet (away from the dough) and immediately cover everything with the preheated stainless steel bowl. Bake at the highest oven temperature for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the stainless steel bowl and reduce the oven temperature to 230°C (450°F). Continue baking for another 15 minutes, or until the crust is a beautiful golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Let the bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and enjoying.
