Recipe: Skillet Corn Bread with Cinnamon Honey Butter

SKILLET CORN BREAD

Gina: "Skillet corn bread has always been my go-to-comfort food, and my mom used to make it for me as a treat when I was younger. I do this for my girls now whenever I think they need a little love. The trick to really good corn bread is preheating the skillet, then baking the corn bread right in the hot skillet, so you build a crispy crust.

This recipe is our version of the classic hot-water corn bread we grew up on, which was made by mixing cornmeal with hot water until it felt like mashed potatoes, then frying it in a skillet with oil and bacon grease. Most Southern corn bread recipes tend to be a bit sweet, and I like to top mine off with a little of our Cinnamon Honey Butter."



2 1⁄4 cups ground yellow cornmeal
1 3⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 1⁄4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 3⁄4 cups buttermilk
1 (8 1⁄4 ounce) can creamed corn
2 large eggs, beaten
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided use
Cinnamon Honey Butter (for serving, recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet on the center rack while it heats.

Whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, creamed corn, eggs, and 3 tablespoons of the melted butter. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry until just combined.

Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven, and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter, swirling to make sure it reaches all the edges of the skillet. Pour in the batter, and spread evenly across the pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Best when served fresh and warm. Serve with slices of Cinnamon Honey Butter.

CINNAMON HONEY BUTTER

1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, softened
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Put the softened butter in a small bowl. Drizzle in the honey and add the cinnamon, and thoroughly combine with a rubber spatula.

Lay out a large sheet of plastic wrap on your work surface, and spread out the butter along the center. Roll up the butter in the plastic wrap, and form into a log shape about 12-inches long. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to seal. Set in the freezer until chilled and hard.

Slice into rounds to top biscuits or breads.

Makes 1 (10-inch) corn bread, serves 8 to 10
Adapted from source: Back Home with the Neelys: Comfort Food from Our Southern Kitchen to Yours by Pat Neely and Gina Neely with Ann Volkwein