Barrel & Ashes hoe cake
45 minutes. Makes 3 to 4 cakes
1⁄2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (100 g) course-ground cornmeal 2 ⁄3 cup plus 1 ⁄4 cup (108 g) all-purpose flour
Scant 2 tablespoons (20 g) sugar
1 heaping teaspoon (7 g)
baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon (4 g) salt
1 egg and 1 egg white, beaten
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon (333 g)
milk
1⁄4 cup plus 2 teaspoons clarified butter
Butter, for greasing the skillet
Maple butter, for serving
Coarse sea salt, for serving
Coarsely chopped green onion, for serving
1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then fold in the clarified butter. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend to
fully incorporate the ingredients.
2. Heat a small (5- to 6-inch) cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add a small pat of butter to the pan, swirling the pan until the butter is melted and bubbly. Spoon in about 3⁄4 cup batter, spreading the batter so it reaches the edges of the pan in an even layer.
3. Cook the batter in the pan until the bottom forms a crust and the batter begins to bubble around the edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the cake is almost set but jiggles slightly in the center, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Return the pan to the stove-top and flip the cake over in the pan. Continue cooking over mediumhigh heat until the cake is set and a crust has formed on the bottom of the cake, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Spread 2 to 4 tablespoons maple butter over the cake, sprinkle over a little coarse sea salt and garnish with green onion. Serve immediately.
Note: Adapted from a recipe from Barrel & Ashes. To make maple butter: beat maple syrup to taste into softened butter until fully incorporated.