Southern Cornbread (Yeast)

A yeasted cornbread is different—almost like anadama bread.  Because the kneading develops the gluten, it is more bread-like and less crumbly than traditional cornbread.  Oh, and this bread would make great Thanksgiving dressing.

Southern Cornbread (Yeast)

1 (7 gram) package active dry yeast
1 cups warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
4 1/3 cups all-purpose or bread flour (more or less)
1 teaspoon salt
1 2/3 cup cornmeal
4  tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 egg for egg wash (optional)

Directions

1. In the bowl of a stand-type mixer, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.
2. Add half of the flour and mix with a dough hook.  Add the salt, cornmeal, butter, honey, two eggs, and drained corn and continue mixing.
3. While continuing to mix, add the flour needed to bring the dough to a bread-dough type consistency.  The amount of flour needed will vary largely on how well drained the corn was. 
4. Knead as you would for other yeast breads and then remove the dough to a greased bowl.  Turn once to oil both sides.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
5. Once doubled, divide the dough into two equal parts for two loaves.  Form the loaves.  If you are going to make free standing artisan loaves, grease a baking sheet and sprinkle the sheet with part of the remaining cornmeal.  Place the loaves on the sheet.  If you are making sandwich loaves, grease the baking pans well—the bread tends to stick to the pans--and sprinkle cornmeal in the pans.  Let the bread rise until doubled again. 
6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  If you choose, just before baking, whisk the remaining egg with one tablespoon water and brush the egg wash on the loaf.  Sprinkle the loaf with cornmeal.  Bake the bread for about 30 minutes or until the bread is golden brown and tests done.  Remove the bread from the pans and cool on racks.  Freeze any extra bread or save the bread for croutons. 

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