Southern Spoon Bread

Before you start

Spoon bread is a Southern side dish that sits between cornbread and a soufflé. Cornmeal is first cooked in hot milk into a thick mush, enriched with butter and egg yolks, then lightened with beaten egg whites and baked until puffed and golden. The inside stays soft, moist and custardy, so it is scooped from the dish with a spoon rather than sliced.

Two stages decide the texture. Cook the mush until it is thick enough for a spoon to stand briefly, then let it cool slightly so the yolks do not scramble. Whip the whites only to soft peaks and fold them in gently. Spoon bread falls as it cools, much like a soufflé, so plan to carry it straight from the oven to the table.

Ingredients

• 720 ml (3 cups) whole milk
• 160 g (1 cup) fine or medium white or yellow cornmeal
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 45 g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter — plus more for the dish
• 3 large eggs — separated
• 1 tsp baking powder

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) with a rack in the center. Butter the baking dish generously.
2. Heat the milk in the saucepan over medium heat until steaming and small bubbles appear around the edge. Whisk constantly while pouring in the cornmeal in a slow, steady stream, then whisk in the salt and sugar.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring with a spatula and scraping the bottom, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the mush is very thick and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted. Transfer to a large bowl and cool for about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until warm rather than hot.
5. Whisk the egg yolks and baking powder into the cornmeal mixture until smooth. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites to soft peaks that curl over at the tips.
6. Stir a quarter of the whites into the cornmeal to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest until no large white streaks remain.
7. Scrape into the dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until puffed and golden brown on top. The center should jiggle slightly as one piece when the dish is nudged and register at least 71°C (160°F) on an instant-read thermometer.
8. Serve immediately, scooping portions with a large spoon and topping each with a little butter.

Tips for success

• Pour the cornmeal into the milk slowly while whisking. Dumping it in all at once makes lumps that will not cook out.
• Make sure the bowl and beaters for the whites are completely free of grease or yolk, or the whites will not foam properly.
• The mush can be cooked a few hours ahead and refrigerated; warm it gently and add the yolks and whites just before baking.

Substitutions

Whole milk

Replace 240 ml of the milk with buttermilk for a tangier spoon bread. Lower-fat milk works but gives a less rich, slightly firmer texture.

Baking powder

Leave it out for a denser, more custard-like spoon bread that relies on the egg whites alone.

Soufflé dish

A 20 cm (8 in) square baking dish works. The layer is shallower, so start checking at 28 minutes.

Variations

Corn and chive spoon bread

Fold 150 g fresh or thawed corn kernels and 2 tablespoons chopped chives into the yolk mixture before adding the whites.

Cheese spoon bread

Stir 60 g grated sharp cheddar or Gruyère into the warm mush with the butter.

Troubleshooting

Lumpy texture

The cornmeal was added too quickly. Whisk it in as a thin stream and keep whisking until the mush thickens; a stick blender can smooth minor lumps before the eggs go in.

Spoon bread did not puff

The whites were underbeaten, overbeaten into dry clumps or deflated while folding. Beat to soft, glossy peaks and fold gently in two stages.

Watery layer at the bottom

The mush was too thin or the dish came out early. Cook it until very thick, and bake until the center reaches 71°C (160°F) and jiggles only slightly.

Storage

Spoon bread is best eaten fresh, as it deflates and firms as it cools. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, covered, and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat portions in a covered dish at 175°C (350°F) until hot through.

Safety notes

Bake until the center reaches 160°F (71°C), as recommended for egg dishes, and do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F/32°C). Contains egg and milk.