Gluten Free Cornmeal Spoonbread
Ingredients
For the creamed corn:
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (18 g) basic gum-free gluten free flour blend
1 1/4 cups (10 fluid ounces) milk
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
12 ounces frozen corn, defrosted (or fresh corn kernels)
For the spoonbread:
1/2 cup (70 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your blend already contains it)
1/2 cup (66 g) coarsely ground yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (112 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 egg yolks (75 g), at room temperature
3/4 cup (180 g) sour cream, at room temperature
15 ounces creamed corn, at room temperature (from recipe above)
4 ounces frozen corn kernels, defrosted (or fresh corn kernels)
3 egg whites (75 g) at room temperature, whipped to stiff (but not dry) peaks
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 2-quart round casserole dish and set it aside.
First, make the creamed corn. In a medium-size, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat, whisking occasionally and allowing the water to boil off. Add the flour blend all at once, and whisk to combine well. Allow to cook, whisking occasionally, until the mixture is well-combined and has started to become fragrant (about 1 minute). Add the milk in a slow but steady stream, whisking constantly, until well-combined. Add the salt, pepper and sugar, and whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally, and continue to cook until the mixture begins to thicken (about 4 minutes). Add the corn kernels, and whisk to combine. Transfer the creamed corn to a wide, flat bowl and allow it to cool until no longer hot to the touch.
In a large bowl, place the gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Add the melted butter, egg yolks, and sour cream, and mix to combine. Add the cooled creamed corn mixture, and the additional 4 ounces of corn kernels, and mix until combined. The mixture will be thick but very soft. Add the whipped egg whites, and fold in the whites with a large spatula until just combined, taking care not to deflate the egg whites too much. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish, and smooth the top gently.
Moisten the index finger of one hand, and run it gently around the perimeter of the dish, separating the top couple inches of the mixture from the side of the dish. Working quickly, place the dish in the center of the preheated oven and bake until lightly golden brown on top and set enough that the spoon bread doesn’t jiggle when the dish is shaken gently from side to side (about 45 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving by the spoonful.
