It’s as Cornmeal as Kansas

I sing the sweets I know, the charms I feel,

My morning incense, and my evening meal,

The sweets of Hasty-Pudding. Come, dear bowl,

Glide o’er my palate, and inspire my soul.

In 1793, an American part-time poet named Joel Barlow was staying in a French inn on diplomatic business when he was served a dish from home called “hasty pudding.” The dish hit the spot so well that the homesick Yankee composed an appreciative mock epic to it on the spot. The poem, which went on for three cantos, may not have stood the test of time, but the dessert--a simple mixture of cornmeal and molasses--has continued to inspire generations of cooks, particularly in recent years.

Hasty pudding, also called Indian pudding, was not, as Barlow and many lovers of the dish since have assumed, eaten by, borrowed from or even known to the Indians. Like lonely travelers the world over, the English had brought their own grains--principally wheat and barley--as well as their own recipes with them across the ocean. But the grains did poorly in the stony soil, and the settlers had to resort to what they called “Indian meal”--cornmeal--for everything from the simplest cornmeal mush to their own solidly British dessert pudding, now renamed Indian pudding.

Since then, cornmeal has been used mainly in savory breads and muffins. Recently, however, American pastry chefs have been introducing cornmeal’s gritty texture into sweet baked goods. Suddenly cakes, cookies and puddings are flecked with the pleasant roughness of cornmeal.

At New Rivers, her restaurant in Providence, R.I., Pat Tillinghast serves a rich-tasting, lemony cornmeal cake topped with berries called Patty’s Cake. “I love the cornmeal texture: crunchy, with a little bit of bite, and it keeps beautifully without refrigeration,” she says.

Cornmeal-based baked goods have the same dietary advantages as other complex carbohydrates, provided that a lot of eggs and butter aren’t added. Egg whites can often be substituted for whole eggs, vegetable oil can be substituted for most of the butter, and buttermilk and yogurt retain moisture as well or better than sour cream.

The rising popularity of cornmeal desserts reflects not only changing tastes but the plentiful supply of corn. In 1984J. Kahn Jr. reported in the New Yorker that corn was America’s No. 1 cash crop, followed by soybeans, wheat and marijuana.

The availability of locally ground cornmeal, which tastes fresher than the usual store-bought kind, is also prompting renewed experimentation with the grain. Gray’s Grist Mill in Adamsville, R.I., has been grinding out cornmeal continuously since 1675, when it was built to supply the townspeople with jonnycake meal, the local name for cornmeal milled from Rhode Island White Cap flint corn. The seeds of that variety, which is grown especially for cornmeal rather than for eating, were obtained directly from the Narragansett Indians. The cornmeal is now in demand by cooks from as far away as Seattle and California, according to miller Tim McTague.

While any brand of cornmeal will work in the following recipes, you’ll appreciate the flavor most if you use a meal that has been freshly ground.

Because of the fresh-corn taste and sturdy texture, treats such as Blueberry-Cornmeal Loaf Cake, Pear Tatin and Apple Jonnycake make appealing breakfasts as well as desserts.

This moist, lemony, corn-bread-like cake can be served with a dollop of vanilla yogurt. Rhode Island jonnycake meal (from Gray’s Grist Mill) gives an especially fresh flavor; sift it before adding. This is an adaptation of Pat Tillinghast’s recipe served at New Rivers.

PATTY’S CAKE

1 cup yellow or white cornmeal, preferably stone-ground, plus more for preparing pan

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup oil

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 large eggs

2 egg whites

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1 cup assorted fresh (or thawed frozen) berries: strawberries, blueberries or raspberries

1/4 cup black-currant liqueur

Line bottom of 10-inch-diameter cake pan with parchment or wax paper. Lightly oil pan and dust with cornmeal, shaking out excess.

Sift together 1 cup cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl and set aside.

Whisk together sugar, oil and butter in large mixing bowl until well combined. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at time, stirring until just combined. Stir together yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract in small bowl. Fold into sugar mixture until just combined. Fold in dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top with rubber spatula. Bake at 350 degrees until cake is golden and wood pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes on rack. Invert cake onto platter, peel off paper and cool completely. (Cake can be made ahead to this point and refrigerated, wrapped in plastic wrap, up to 3 days.)

Toss berries with black-currant liqueur. Cut cake into wedges and serve topped with berries. Makes 12 servings.

Each serving contains about:

219 calories; 134 mg sodium; 41 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 4 grams protein; 32 grams carbohydrates.

*

This buttery, dense loaf with a lemony flavor and a slightly crunchy texture comes from Karyl Bannister, author of Maine’s Cook & Tell newsletter. Wild Maine blueberries are nice to use, but any kind will do.

BLUEBERRY-CORNMEAL LOAF CAKE

2/3 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries

1 1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon nonfat plain yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar

1/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 large egg

1 egg white

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour and set aside.

Stir together remaining flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt in mixing bowl. Combine yogurt and lemon juice in another small bowl.

Whisk together 2/3 cup sugar, oil and lemon zest in medium mixing bowl. Beat in whole egg, then egg white, beating well after each addition. Alternately add dry ingredients and yogurt mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Spoon batter into lightly oiled 8x4-inch loaf pan. Combine remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and cinnamon in small bowl and sprinkle over batter.

Bake on center rack at 350 degrees until cake is golden and wood pick inserted into center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. After 25 minutes of baking, loosely cover pan with foil.

Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely. (For best flavor, wrap cake and store overnight before serving.) Makes 10 servings.

Each serving contains about:

205 calories; 180 mg sodium; 22 mg cholesterol; 6 grams fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein.

*

This simple recipe is adapted from the recipe that has been served at Boston’s Durgin Park restaurant for more than a century.

INDIAN PUDDING

3 cups nonfat milk

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

1/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg

Nonfat frozen vanilla yogurt or ice milk, optional

Scald 2 1/2 cups milk in heavy saucepan. Meanwhile, place remaining 1/2 cup milk in small bowl and gradually whisk in cornmeal. Whisk cornmeal mixture into hot milk. Bring to boil and boil gently over low heat, whisking frequently, until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in molasses, sugar, butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. Beat egg in small bowl. Stir in little of hot cornmeal mixture and whisk mixture back into saucepan. Pour mixture into 6 lightly oiled 1-cup ramekins and place on baking sheet.

Bake at 275 degrees until centers are set, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cool puddings slightly. Serve warm, topped with frozen vanilla yogurt. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

166 calories; 191 mg sodium; 46 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein.

*

Full of hazelnut flavor, these cornmeal biscotti are good for dunking in coffee or tea.

HAZELNUT-CORNMEAL BISCOTTI

1/2 pound shelled hazelnuts

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/3 cups flour

3/4 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons oil

5 large egg whites

Spread hazelnuts on baking sheet and toast at 375 degrees until fragrant, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool, wrap in kitchen towel and rub off skins. Brush 2 baking sheets lightly with oil.

Stir together whole hazelnuts, sugar, flour, cornmeal, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in medium mixing bowl. Add oil and stir with wooden spoon until well blended. Add 4 egg whites and stir until dough comes together. Dough should be slightly sticky.

Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface. With floured hands form dough into 4 (1-inch-thick) ropes, each about 18 inches long. Lightly beat remaining egg white in small bowl. Place dough ropes on greased baking sheets and brush with beaten egg white.

Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on rack. Slice on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Let cool completely. Biscotti can be stored in airtight container in cool, dry place up to 2 weeks.

Alternatively, for crisper biscotti, bake ropes 15 minutes, remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees. Slice on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices and return to baking sheets, cut sides up. Bake until lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes longer. Cool completely and store in airtight container. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Each cookie contains about:

54 calories; 16 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein.

*

Serve this upside-down apple cornbread warm for breakfast, with maple syrup.

APPLE JONNYCAKE

6 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter, melted

2 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices

3/4 cup yellow or white cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon oil

Heat 2 tablespoons maple syrup and 1 teaspoon melted butter in heavy, 10-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and saute until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Using 2 spoons, arrange slices, fanning out from center of skillet.

Stir together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in medium mixing bowl. Beat together buttermilk, egg, remaining 1/4 cup maple syrup, remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter and oil in small mixing bowl. Make well in center of dry ingredients and pour in buttermilk mixture. Stir with wooden spoon until just combined. Spread batter evenly over apples.

Bake at 375 degrees until wood pick inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in skillet on wire rack 5 minutes. Invert onto serving platter, cut into wedges and serve immediately, topped with more syrup to taste. Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about:

197 calories; 263 mg sodium; 33 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein.

*

This light biscuit tatin inverts to a glorious golden round, with juices dripping down the pears, which taste almost candied. It’s adapted from a recipe created by Anne Disrude, a New York food stylist.

PEAR TATIN

2 teaspoons oil

1/3 cup light-brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon coarsely chopped walnuts

2 firm ripe pears, such as Anjou or Bosc, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons yellow or white cornmeal, preferably stone-ground

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 tablespoon oil

1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/3 cup cold water

Heat oil in 7- or 8-inch nonstick oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add brown sugar and cook, stirring, until sugar has partially melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Scatter walnuts in skillet and add pears, arranging in circular pattern. Set aside.

Stir together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in medium mixing bowl. Using pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in butter and oil until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine yogurt and water in small bowl. Make well in center of dry ingredients. Pour in yogurt mixture and stir with fork until just combined. Drop spoonfuls of dough evenly over pears.

Set skillet on baking sheet and place on rack in lower 1/3 of oven. Bake at 425 degrees until wood pick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on rack 2 to 3 minutes. Run knife around edge of skillet and invert cake onto plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

235 calories; 404 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 7 grams fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein.

The Corn Game

Baking with cornmeal isn’t much different from baking with other flours if you follow some basic rules.

* When incorporating cornmeal into traditional recipes, it’s important to make sure that the batter contains a high-enough proportion of liquid so the grains of cornmeal cook through as they bake.

* For cornmeal puddings, cook the grain in liquid on top of the stove before baking the pudding, in order to keep the grains separate.

* Because stone-ground cornmeal contains bits of the outer bran layer, it should be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent the meal from becoming rancid or infested with insects.

* All the recipes work well with supermarket cornmeal.