Vanilla Cornmeal Griddle Cakes With Pears Food

CORNMEAL GRIDDLE CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
• In a second bowl or large liquid measuring cup, whisk the egg and 1 cup water until smooth. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, using as few strokes as possible. The batter should be soupy but not watery.
• Heat 1/4 cup of the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter into the heated skillet for each cake, being careful not to crowd the skillet. When the batter hits the hot oil, the edges will sizzle and become very crisp.
• Cook the cakes until the bottoms are a rich brown and bubbles form on the tops and along the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. For best results, be sure to cook the cakes until the edges are deep, rich, golden brown.
• Serve immediately, flipping those little babies onto a plate and passing them along while you fry up the remaining cakes, adding oil to the skillet as needed.

PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Make the topping: Melt butter in the bottom of a 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat. Add brown sugar, stirring until dissolved. Swirl to coat the bottom; remove from heat, and cool. Cut pears into 1/4-inch-thick wedges, and arrange them in a circular pattern over the brown-sugar mixture to cover completely; set aside.
• Make the batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract; beat to combine. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine.
• Alternating with the milk, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix, on low speed, just until the flour is incorporated.
• In a large bowl, beat reserved egg whites and the cream of tartar with a hand mixer until stiff but not dry. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into the batter. Transfer to skillet. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter evenly, being careful not to disturb the pears.
• Bake until well browned on top and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan, and immediately invert the cake onto a serving dish. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CORNMEAL GRIDDLE CAKES

Steps:

• Pour cornmeal into a large bowl; cover with boiling water. Let stand until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour, sugar, melted butter, baking powder, and salt. Mix in milk and egg until batter is smooth.
• Heat a lightly greased griddle over medium heat. Drop spoonfuls of batter onto the griddle and cook until edges are dry, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter.

GRIDDLE CORN CAKES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Combine the egg, corn, milk and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. , Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot nonstick griddle. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

PROSCIUTTO AND ROSEMARY CORNMEAL CAKES

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together.
• Heat griddle over medium heat.
• Add a little butter to surface of griddle and ladle about 1/4 cup of batter onto griddle for each corn cake.
• Cook about 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
• Serve with honey or syrup.

CORNMEAL GRIDDLE CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.
• In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, sour cream, egg and egg whites. Stir in milk.
• Pour into dry ingredients, mixing gently until just combined.
• Coat a nonstick griddle with cooking spray. Drop batter 2 tablespoons at a time onto griddle.
• Cook, turning once until golden on both sides, 3-4 minutes.

CORNMEAL POUND CAKE WITH ROSEMARY SYRUP, POACHED PEARS, AND CANDIED ROSEMARY

Steps:

• For pears:
• Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring syrup to boil, turning pears occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until pears are tender, about 20 minutes. Chill pears uncovered in syrup until cold, at least 3 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
• For pound cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan. Whisk flour and cornmeal in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, then salt. Drizzle in beaten eggs by tablespoonfuls, beating constantly, then beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.
• For syrup and candied rosemary:
• Bring 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rosemary sprigs. Simmer until syrup reduces slightly, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer rosemary sprigs to rack and drain. Cover and reserve rosemary syrup.
• Pour baker's sugar into shallow bowl. Add drained rosemary sprigs to sugar, 1 at a time, turning to coat thickly. Place on paper towels. Dry at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Let sprigs and syrup stand at room temperature.
• Cut dark ends off cake. Cut eight 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick cake slices. Cut each slice diagonally in half. Arrange 2 halves on each plate. Drain pears. Stand 1 pear on each plate. Drizzle each dessert with reserved rosemary syrup and garnish with candied rosemary sprig. Serve, passing remaining syrup separately.

MEME'S CORNMEAL GRIDDLE CAKES

Steps:

• To prepare the batter, in a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. In a second bowl or large liquid measuring cup, combine the egg and the 1 cup water. Whisk until smooth. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, using as few strokes as possible.
• To fry the griddle cakes, heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Ladle 1/4 cup of batter onto the heated skillet. Repeat with additional batter, without crowding.
• Cook the cakes until the bottoms are brown and bubbles form on the tops and edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
• storing dry ingredients
• To avoid insects in flour and cornmeal, transfer the product to a sealable airtight container immediately after purchase. To keep flour and cornmeal absolutely fresh, particularly if they are wholegrain (see page 202), store the sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer. Allow the flour or meal to come to room temperature before using.

CORNMEAL CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven at 200°C.
• Lightly oil (or butter) a non-stick 30 cm cake pan.
• Mix the eggs yolk with sugar and oil.
• Boil the milk and pour on the cornmeal, on a separated bowl,mixing well.
• Mix this to the eggs mixture.
• Sift the flour with the baking powder and add to the mixture.
• On a clean bowl whisk the eggs white and fold into the mixture.
• Pour this to the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes or until the tester come out clean.

CORNMEAL GRIDDLE CAKES (PRE-1940'S)

Steps:

• Mix and sift dry ingredients.
• Combine beaten egg and milk.
• Add to dry ingredients.
• Stir in shortening.
• Pour on a hot griddle.

VANILLA CORNMEAL GRIDDLE CAKES WITH PEARS

Steps:

• To make clarified butter, melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat; cook 20 to 30 minutes until bubbling ceases and liquid turns clear.
• Strain, being sure to leave solids in the bottom of pan.
• Cool completely.
• Whish together flours and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Whisk together buttermilk and next 4 ingredients.
• Add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth.
• Stir in pears.
• Heat griddle or large skillet over medium heat; brush with 1 to 2 tablespoons cooled clarified butter.
• Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each cake onto griddle.
• Cook over medium low heat 3-4 minutes or until tops are covered with tiny bubbles and edges look dry and cooked.
• Turn cakes and cook other side.
• Remove from griddle to serving plate.
• Grease griddle with additional butter as needed and repeat procedure with remaining batter.
• Serve immediately with butter and maple syrup.