Pumpkin Cornbread with a French Twist

Learn how to make a pumpkin cornbread that uses squash to make a naturally gluten-free dish into a light, moist bread worthy of nights around the fire.

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by Adobestock/TeamC
6-10 SERVINGS

Ingredients

  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup mashed pumpkin or other winter squash
  • 2 cups cornmeal (use flint corn if grinding your own)
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1 packet yeast (7 grams), or 1/2 cup mild sourdough starter
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Up to 4 tablespoons sugar (optional)
  • Up to 1/4 cup brandy or whiskey (optional)

Directions

  • Warm the milk in a saucepan on the stove, or, alternatively, in a glass jar in a microwave.
  • In a mixing bowl, add warmed milk, pumpkin, cornmeal, egg yolks, yeast, salt, and optional sugar and alcohol, if using. Mix until smooth, and then cover and let ferment in a warm place until batter has noticeably risen. With yeast, this will take about 45 minutes at 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and longer if rising at a lower temperature. Sourdough starter could take a few hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Liberally butter the sides of a 6-cup baking tin or soufflé mold, and line its bottom with parchment paper. When the oven has come to temperature, whip the egg whites. Thoroughly whisk the first third of the whites into the batter, and then more gently fold in remaining whites, one-third at a time. Pour into the prepared baking tin, and immediately place in oven.
  • Check for doneness in 45 minutes: A knife inserted into the center of the bread should come out clean.
  • Remove bread from the tin to cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve when cooled.
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Learn how to make a pumpkin cornbread that uses squash to make a naturally gluten-free dish into a light, moist bread worthy of nights around the fire.

I first made this bread for Thanksgiving about 40 years ago, and I’ve been making it for that holiday ever since. This bread captured my imagination from the first loaf, because it’s delicious, beautiful, and different.

Lighter and moister than most cornbreads, this bread has many uses. The gorgeous yellow color, light open crumb, and warm flavor blend well with traditional holiday meals centered around turkey or ham, and it’s also good in stuffings.

For breakfast, I recommend it toasted with cream cheese, or as French toast. Cornbread with cream cheese is a marriage made in heaven — definitely a good choice for a special brunch. As French toast, it will elevate a weekend breakfast. Soaked in milk and egg, the crumb softens, but retains a lovely texture — soft, but never soggy. And maple syrup brings out the bread’s warm tonalities.

On winter afternoons, when sunset comes too soon, I serve this cornbread with butter and honey along with strong tea or coffee in front of a fire in my fireplace. Another dish I enjoy is a slice spread with Gorgonzola, a soft Italian blue cheese.

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