Native American food has still not reached the point of being highly regarded as so many other cuisines within North American borders and this Wild Apple Cornbread is an easy way for most people to recognize the way Native peoples lived alongside the land. Have you ever eaten any Native dishes (frybread does not count!)?
Cornbread is synonymous in America and when you begin digging, you find that it was already made by Native peoples with the only apples native to America being Crab apples alongside honey which are both included in this traditional recipe that can be made almost anywhere you can source cornmeal and apples.
Why you'll love this
Easy prep
Even with 10 minutes of heating the cornbread over a double boiler, overall, this requires little effort for a great cornbread.
Lightly sweet
Unlike other cornbread, thanks to the apple the sweetness in this is subtle making it great to pair with savory items.
How to prepare Wild Apple Cornbread
- Stir and heat: Stir the cornmeal and butter, buttermilk and sugar together and heat until thickened.
- Scrap the bowl: Scrape the edges of the bowl to ensure the warm mixture doesn’t stick.
- Dissolve: Stir the baking soda together to help it dissolves.
- Grate the apples: Peel and grate the apples.
- Cornbread batter: Add the remaining ingredients into the cornbread mix and combine until smooth.
- Batter up: Pour the batter into your prepared tin and smooth out the top.
- Bake: Bake until lightly golden and a skewer comes out clean.
- Slice: Slice into even squares.
- Serve: Serve with a little honey and dig in!
Tips for the best Wild Apple Cornbread
Native Wild Apples to North America: According to research, such as here, there are only one type of wild apples native in North America and they are Crab Apples. Wild apples are different from apples you’ll find in a grocery store because they’re often small and less sweet in taste so the best apples you should use here, if wild apples aren’t readily available, are Granny Smith or other tart apples.
Weight of buttermilk in grams: The weight of the buttermilk needed for this recipe is 512 grams.
Best served: This is best served the day it’s made.
More bread recipes you'll love
Native American Tortilla Bread
Pao de Queijo - Brazilian Cheese Bread
Laugenbrezel – German Pretzels
How to make:
Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and line a baking tin with greaseproof paper.
Place the cornmeal, buttermilk, sugar and melted butter into a large heatproof bowl and stir until combined and smooth.
Place over a double boiler on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring to ensure it remains smooth as it cooks.
Remove from the heat and scrap down the sides of the bowl to ensure the cornmeal mixture doesn’t stick.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir the baking soda and cold water together until the baking soda has dissolved.
Peel the apples and grate onto a plate or into a bowl, discarding the cores.
Place baking soda water mixture, eggs and apples into the cooled cornmeal mixture and stir together until smooth.
Pour into the prepared baking tin and smooth out on top.
Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until lightly golden and a skewer comes clean.
Allow to cool to warm and slice into even squares.
Serve with a little honey (wild honey, if possible) and enjoy.
Wild Apple Cornbread
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Makes 16 portions 1x
- Category: Breads, Sides
- Cuisine: Native American
Description
Wild and tart apples folded into cornmeal and baked into a warm cornbread perfect for any holiday table where cornbread is essential.
Ingredients
320 grams / 2 cups yellow cornmeal
500 milliliters / 2 cups buttermilk
50 grams / ¼ cup superfine/caster sugar
28 grams / 2 tablespoon butter, melted
½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt
5 grams / 1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cold water
2 eggs, room temperature and beaten
2 medium wild apples, peeled & grated (1 cup grated apple flesh)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and line a baking tin with greaseproof paper.
- Place the cornmeal, buttermilk, sugar and melted butter into a large heatproof bowl and stir until combined and smooth.
- Place over a double boiler on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring to ensure it remains smooth as it cooks.
- Remove from the heat and scrap down the sides of the bowl to ensure the cornmeal mixture doesn’t stick.
- Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, stir the baking soda and cold water together until the baking soda has dissolved.
- Peel the apples and grate onto a plate or into a bowl, discarding the cores.
- Place baking soda water mixture, eggs and apples into the cooled cornmeal mixture and stir together until smooth.
- Pour into the prepared baking tin and smooth out on top.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes until lightly golden and a skewer comes clean.
- Allow to cool to warm and slice into even squares.
- Serve with a little honey (wild honey, if possible) and enjoy.
Notes
Native Wild Apples to North America: According to research, such as here, there are only one type of wild apples native in North America and they are Crab Apples. Wild apples are different from apples you’ll find in a grocery store because they’re often small and less sweet in taste so the best apples you should use here, if wild apples aren’t readily available are Granny Smith or other tart apples.
Weight of buttermilk in grams: The weight of the buttermilk needed for this recipe is 512 grams.
Best served: This is best served the day it’s made.
Adapted from ocbtracker
Nutrition
- Calories: 132 calories per serve
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