Yeasted Corn Flour Bread with Corn Kernels

This Yeasted Corn Flour Bread, made with a lean dough, and corn flour rather than corn meal, is filled with corn kernels, and baked as an open pan bread or in a Dutch Oven.

This yeasted corn flour bread is the bake of the month for the Bread Baking Babes.  Karen, of Karen’s Kitchen Stories is the host this month and she chose this bread from Evolutions in Bread: Artisan Pan Breads and Dutch-Oven Loaves at Home by Ken Forkish.

My experience with this corn flour bread

Being a Southerner, who likes her (non-yeasted) cornbread, I wasn’t sure about this one. I’ve tried some yeasted corn breads I like and some not so much.

That being said, I typically like Ken Forkish’s breads, and I’m always up for a challenge, so I figured it was worth a shot.

I really liked the flavor of this bread, particularly with the corn kernels dotted throughout.  I used frozen kernels.  I’m sure fresh kernels would be even better, but the frozen ones worked fine.

I didn’t have a large enough loaf pan to fit the dough for this bread so rather than use baker’s percentages to adjust the ratios to fit my Pullman pan, I took the easy way out and baked it in a Dutch Oven.

I wasn’t as thrilled with the crust on this bread.  I knew it would be chewy, but I thought the corn flake topping would add a bit of crunch.   The crust looked good after baking, but once it cooled, the corn flakes moistened and the crust became a bit too chewy.

I thought perhaps this bread did better as a pan bread, or I needed to omit the corn flakes altogether, until I remembered I had sprinkled the corn flakes in the bottom of the banneton before I added the dough for the final proof.

I also sprinkled some corn flakes on the outside of the loaf prior to baking.  In hindsight, I’m thinking the extra moisture from the dough during proofing is what made the flakes too moist.

All in all, I had fun with this one.  And, I will say, this bread makes good toast.

Things to know when making this corn flour bread

Use corn flour instead of corn meal.  I used a finely ground corn meal from a local grower and ran it through my stone flour mill.  Grinding it didn’t really change the texture that much because it was already pretty finely ground.  The goal is for it to not be too mealy.

I used all-purpose flour instead of bread flour and included some finely ground semolina flour which gave the dough a lovely color.

This bread can be made in about 4 to 6 hours.  If you start around 10a.m., you will have a finished loaf by 3p.m.  Or, if you start at Noon, like I did, you will have a finished loaf by 5p.m. or so.  It will be ready in time for dinner after allowing it time to cool.

The sourdough starter can be discard.  The recipe utilizes a sourdough starter and instant yeast so you can use sourdough discard or omit the sourdough altogether.  However, I recommend adding the starter because it definitely provides flavor.

You can bake this loaf in a loaf pan or a Dutch Oven.  The formula makes a little over 2 pounds of dough.  So, if you don’t have a 2-pound loaf pan, you can use two smaller 1-pound pans or bake it in a Dutch Oven like I did.

Corn kernels are optional but recommended for added flavor.  If you use frozen kernels, be sure to let them warm up to room temperature before incorporating in the dough.  I didn’t and it made for a cold dough.  I put the dough on the proofer to warm it up.

Adding crushed corn flakes on the top of the loaf is also optional.  If you do add them, just add them on top of the loaf prior to baking and not in the proofing basket like I did.

Yeasted Corn Flour Bread with Corn Kernels

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Bread Experience
• Total Time: 5 hours 50 mins
• Yield: 1 Large Loaf 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This Yeasted Corn Flour Bread, made with a lean dough, and corn flour rather than corn meal, is filled with corn kernels, and baked as an open pan bread or in a Dutch Oven.

---

Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

• 425 grams (1 3/4 cups plus 1 tsp) 80 to 90 degree water, divided
• 100 grams (~1/2 cup) sourdough starter (fed or unfed)
• 350 grams (2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
• 50 grams (~ 1/4 cup) finely ground semolina flour
• 175 grams (1 1/2 cups plus 1 tsp.) corn flour (I used finely ground corn meal)
• 175 grams (1 cup) fresh or frozen corn kernels, at room temperature
• 14 grams (1/2 tsp) fine sea salt
• 2 grams (1/2 tsp) instant yeast
• 30 grams corn flakes (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Place the sourdough starter in a large bowl and cover with 350 grams water. Mix with your hand until thoroughly incorporated.
2. In a separate container, whisk together the all-purpose flour, corn flour, and semolina flour. Add the flour mixture to the starter/water and mix by hand until incorporated. Add the remaining 50 grams of water while mixing. Fold in the corn kernels.
3. Sprinkle the salt and instant yeast on top of the dough and allow the dough to rest for 20-30 minutes at warm room temperature.
4. Using wet hands, mix the dough, and then stretch and fold the dough over itself. To make sure the salt and yeast are thoroughly incorporated, use your fingers to pinch the dough. Perform another stretch and fold.
5. Allow the dough to rest a few minutes, then perform a few more stretch and folds in the dough.
6. Cover the dough with bees wrap, plastic wrap, or a kitchen towel, and allow it to rest 30 minutes. Perform a stretch and fold, recover the bowl, and let the dough rest for 30 minutes more.
7. Do one more stretch and fold, cover the bowl again, and allow the dough to proof until it’s about 2 1/2 to 3 times it’s original size. It should still be domed and not collapsed (or flattened on top).
8. In the meantime, dust a lined round banneton with rice flour or a combination of rice/AP flour.
9. Once the dough is proofed, gently turn it out onto a floured work surface. Shape it into a rough round and let it rest on the work surface for 20 minutes.
10. Shape it into a tight boule (round loaf) and place it seam-side down in the lined basket.
11. Cover the basket loosely with a kitchen towel, or plastic wrap, and allow it to rise at warm room temperature for about an hour, or until the dough springs back gently when touched lightly with your finger.
12. In the final 45 minutes of proofing, preheat the oven to 450 degrees with a Dutch Oven on the lower rack.
13. When the oven and DO have preheated sufficiently, gently flip the proofed loaf from the basket to parchment paper. Score the loaf with a lame or serrated knife.
14. Using heavy oven mitts, carefully remove the lid and transfer the scored loaf (on the parchment) to the bottom of the baker. (Use the “parchment sling” to transfer the loaf in and out of the baker to keep from getting burned.) Bake each loaf 25-30 minutes with the lid on and 15-20 minutes with the lid off, for a total of 45-50 minutes.
15. Remove the loaf (and DO) from the oven and place the loaf on a wire rack to cool for 1-2 hours before serving.

Notes

Adapted from Evolutions in Bread: Artisan Pan Breads and Dutch-Oven Loaves at Home by Ken Forkish.

• Prep Time: 5 hours
• Cook Time: 50 mins
• Category: Yeasted Corn Bread

Happy Baking!
Cathy