Jalapeno Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

2/3 cup yellow corn meal

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 cup white sugar

1/3 cup light brown sugar 

1/2 cup unsalted browned butter, melted 

2 large eggs 

1 cup milk 

3 tablespoons heavy cream 

1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded

2 jalapeños, diced and seeds removed

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Start out by whisking together all the dry ingredients. This includes the cornmeal, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, brown sugar, and white sugar. Then set it aside.

Brown the butter which is probably the most tedious part of this recipe. To a pan over medium heat, add the butter. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until it starts to bubble and then brown. Make sure not to cook it any further or it can burn. Transfer it to a bowl and allow it to cool so it’s not hot. Once the butter is browned, just allow it to cool down for a few minutes so it’s not piping hot. This is to prevent it from curdling the eggs when added to the batter.

Once the butter has cooled down, add it to the dry ingredients along with the milk, heavy cream, and eggs. Whisk together until you have a smooth consistency.

Now add shredded cheddar cheese and diced jalapeños and incorporate using a rubber spatula. If you don’t want the jalapeños to be too spicy, remove the seeds which is what I did.

Transfer to a baking pan lined with parchment paper or just butter it generously and add the batter to prevent sticking. You can use a cast iron skillet, a 8 x 8 pan for very thick slices or 9 x 9 for thinner slices. I used a cast iron skillet.

Bake for 25 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. You don’t want to over cook it or else it will be dry.

While it bakes, make the honey butter by combining melted butter and honey in a small bowl. 

Take the cornbread of the oven and allow it to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Then slice the cornbread and brush the top with honey butter. Enjoy warm!!