Traditional Appalachian Spoon Bread

Creamy and comforting side dish that goes well with a hearty beef stew or winter-time soup. My grandfather made this and shared his recipe with me. Dish out with a spoon and serve with plenty of real butter. Enjoy!

Step: 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an oven-proof cast iron Dutch oven or a deep baking dish.

Step: 2

Heat milk and cornmeal in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently, until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes. Remove cornmeal mixture from heat and stir in butter and 1 teaspoon salt until well combined.

Step: 3

Beat egg yolks, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar together in a bowl until smooth; stir into cornmeal mixture.

Step: 4

Beat egg whites, 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1 pinch salt together in a separate bowl using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Lift your beater or whisk straight up: the egg whites will form soft mounds rather than a sharp peak. Gently fold egg white mixture into cornmeal mixture until well mixed and fluffy; pour into prepared Dutch oven.

Step: 5

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown with a moist center, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

Per Serving: 220 calories; protein 9.6g; carbohydrates 23.4g; fat 10.1g; cholesterol 143.1mg; sodium 514.6mg.

The best flavour of the flour can make a real difference to your bread. Different makers do vary. Extra-strong or Canadian flours, which are naturally higher in gluten, may give you a better rise than standard dough flours – especially if you’re make wholemeal bread , which not always rise as well as clear bread.

To made this in a dough , add all the ingredients to your breadmaker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A dough’s first rising can be make in the fridge 24 hours . This slows down the time it takes to rise to double its size, giving it a deeper flavour. It’s also a great timesaver , as you can work it yesterday , then clear it off the next day.