sweet polenta & brown butter corn bread with whole kernels

I love how humble and rustic a skillet of golden corn bread looks while eating a slice can be so luxurious and comforting. I rarely eat a bowl of chili without a wedge of it dropped right on top; but this sweet polenta and brown butter corn bread is so irresistible, you might have it with coffee for breakfast, as an afternoon snack, or dolloped with maple butter for dessert.

Watch the video!

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup flour

1 cup polenta

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons honey

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1 cob of corn, kernels removed (or about 3/4 cup frozen or canned corn)

1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400F. In a cast iron skillet, melt the stick of butter over medium heat. Gently stir the melted butter with a spatula until it begins to brown. Turn off heat and pour the butter into a bowl to cool.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, polenta, baking powder, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, and cooled browned butter. Then whisk in the egg until fully incorporated.

4. Add half the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir with a spatula to incorporate. Then add 1/2 cup of the buttermilk and stir to combine. Repeat with the remaining dry mixture and buttermilk.

5. Heat the vegetable oil in the cast iron skillet over medium heat. Use a pastry brush to spread the hot oil so it covers the entire skillet.

6. When the skillet and oil are hot, pour the batter into the skillet and spread it out evenly.

7. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 25–30 minutes. The top of the corn bread should be golden in the center and darker along the sides.

8. Serve the corn bread with salted butter, maple butter, maple syrup, or as is.