Michelle Darmody: How to bake sweetcorn muffins and the common mistakes to avoid
It's lunchbox-stuffing time of year, and it can be difficult to find variations each day. I find these muffins are a winner, as they contain firm favourites like sweetcorn and cheddar cheese.
It's lunchbox-stuffing time of year, and it can be difficult to find variations each day. I find these muffins are a winner, as they contain firm favourites like sweetcorn and cheddar cheese.
Polenta is traditionally from Northern Italy. While mainly used in savoury cooking, it is a very versatile baking ingredient, made by grinding flint corn into flour. It can be great for making wheat-free cakes, particularly when combined with ground almonds.
I use a fine-ground polenta for this recipe, or medium at a push; anything else results in a grainy texture which is not pleasant.
The word polenta is generally used in Ireland, but you may also come across the name cornmeal when searching for it in the shops.
As these muffins take some inspiration from cornbread, you could make a honey butter to serve with them.
Whip two-thirds soft butter with one-third honey until pale and fluffy. Honey butter is very often spread on warm cornbread to sweeten and moisten at the same time and here it adds a lovely sweet, savoury combination.
You do not have to confine its use to these muffins, it is delicious on pancakes or toast.
- Not all bun and muffin paper cases are created equal. Cheaper brands can stick and become transparent as they soak up the oil from the muffin inside. A good paper case will be made of sturdy greaseproof paper and hold its shape while baking. Cooling the baked muffins on a wire rack will also help to prevent the cases getting soft and sticking because steam can build up if they are left to cool in the tin.
- 125g of sweetcorn kernels is usually the amount on a medium-sized ear of corn. I use fresh corn but if you feel your ear of corn has dried out and hardened, as they do, you could boil it for ten minutes, leave it to cool then scrape off the kernels with a sharp knife. If you are using tinned corn, ensure it is well-drained. If using frozen it is best to defrost it fully and drain off any liquid. Excess liquid can affect the muffin's texture.
- I use a mild olive oil in the recipe as one with too strong a flavour can overpower even in small quantities; it can add a bitterness to the final muffin. If you do not have a light olive oil you can substitute it for sunflower oil.
- It is best to finely grate the cheese to ensure it distributes throughout the batter and melts evenly.
- It is important not to overmix the batter or you will have hard, dry buns. Making a well in the centre of the dry ingredients helps with this, it allows things to combine easier with less vigorous mixing.
- Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature, they are best eaten within two days, but they freeze very well. If you want to add a little extra moisture you can warm the muffins slightly and spread a small amount of butter on the top allowing it to melt in.
I add diced chilli to this version. Either a red or green chilli can be added to the onions as they sauté.
You can choose how spicy you would like your buns and add the amount of chilli accordingly.
Omit the smoked paprika if you are using chillies or substitute it for a ½ a teaspoon of cumin seeds or some creole seasoning instead.
Add 100g of cubed pancetta or diced streaky rashers halfway through sautéing the onions. You can also add a half teaspoon or so of chopped thyme if you wish.
I recommend substituting the smoked paprika for the same amount of ground nutmeg.
If you do not have bacon, you can use chorizo or chopped pepperoni in its place.
To make this visually pleasing version, dice a half a small red pepper into very small pieces and add these when sautéing the onions.
It is best to omit the smoked paprika. I like to add a thinly sliced scallion to the batter instead.
