With this bread, almost 25% of the challenge is completed. Ten breads down, thirty-three more to go…
Reinhart tells us that cornbread normally would not fit into a bread book, as it is not leavened by yeast. However he had to include this one because, according to him, “it is the best cornbread you will ever taste”. Since taste is such a personal thing, I tend to take statements like that with a grain of salt, but needless to say, I had high expectations for it.
The recipe is very straightforward, but you must remember to soak the cornmeal with buttermilk the day before. Which, of course, I almost forgot. Spent Friday evening with a strange feeling of something left undone. Shortly after 10pm you could see me dashing to the kitchen, screaming “cornbread! cornbread!”. My beloved by now is used to this sort of stuff.
Here are some of the ingredients, lined up the following morning, ready for action.
You will notice that I used agave nectar. I substituted it for honey, because I am very fond of it. It has a sweetness that is not cloying, and a very nice, mild flavor.
The batter is quite smooth, no need to use a mixer, just a trusty, old-fashioned wooden spoon.
Crumbled bacon is added on top, pressing down a little to soak the bits in the batter. Easy, easy, easy.
The verdict: definitely the best cornbread I ever had, but you don’t need to take the word of a recently naturalized American for it. Husband, who considers himself a cornbread expert, agreed with Reinhart. It is moist, not too sweet, and the bacon on top is a must. Excellent dish for a Sunday brunch.
A keeper recipe, for sure.
Bewitching Kitchen 
Sally, I’m up early today! Heat is getting to me.
This sounds very good. Husband loves cornbread and I like moist cornbread. I use agave nectar, too in recipes that call for honey. This one goes in my cornbread file!
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I hope you will give it a try, it is great!
Husband just had a piece slightly warmed in the microwave, says it tastes wonderful still
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This is cornbread country! I have put cheese or jalapenos or other chiles in the cornbread. This sounds like a nice but tasty cornbread without the obligatory chiles!
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Joe loves cornbread and I make it fairly often. I would love to try making “the best cornbread I will ever taste”. My current recipe has bacon fat in the pan and in the batter but no bacon pieces and no corn, just cornmeal.
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Looks great. Nice photos. 🙂
Susie
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Beautiful cornbread. great idea about using agave nectar.
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Gorgeous corn bread!
Love all the photos… excellent crumb shot.
I’ve never tried agave nectar… I’ll have to check it out.
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You will love it, I am sure. I like honey but the flavor of agave nectar got me absolutely hooked.
Nothing like some Greek style yogurt with a little swirl of agave nectar on top…. my favorite bedtime snack
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Great looking cornbread. I wish I had baked mine longer. I think I would have enjoyed it more.
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I really like your step-by-step photos and GREAT JOB on the bread! I wish I tried making mine in our skillet now… I ended up baking muffins in the oven. I think i was intimidated by the skillet.
Your crumb shot looks great, and not too corny. I thought that the recipe had a bit too much corn in it.
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Thank you!
It is amazing how when you read the recipe it seems like it CANNOT possibly work… 🙂
it is great, though. The bacon is pretty rich, I might skip it next time just to save a few calories
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