Sweet, golden comfort —perfect for breakfast or any time you need a hug in muffin form.
One of my fondest memories of summers in America was going to camp, and while people railed against and mocked camp food, I loved it! And nothing, to me, was more exciting than the mornings we had cornbread. I had experienced nothing like it in my home. The idea of someone baking for breakfast was beyond exciting, and the fact that you could pour maple syrup all over something that was called bread—but in fact tasted like cake—was the best thing ever.
This recipe—based on Ina Garten’s—is one of the first I introduced to my British husband. But when I looked for the maple syrup to serve along with the muffins, I was confronted with reality: 25 years ago, maple syrup in the UK wasn’t just expensive but really hard to come by. My husband suggested that we replace the maple syrup with golden syrup, and our British–American partnership was off to a roaring start!
INGREDIENTS:
- 190g (1 ½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- 60g (½ cup) cornmeal (fine polenta)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 175ml (¾ cup) milk
- 115g (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 egg, beaten
- Butter, maple syrup, or golden syrup to serve
METHOD:
- Prepare the oven: Preheat to 180℃ (350℉). Line a standard 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
- Combine the wet ingredients: In a measuring jug, stir together the milk, melted and cooled butter, and beaten egg.
- Make the batter: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined—do not overmix.
- Fill the muffin tin: Spoon the batter into the prepared liners, filling each one about two-thirds full.
- Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, until the tops are golden and spring back when lightly pressed.
- Serve: Enjoy warm with butter and a drizzle of maple syrup or golden syrup.