Old-Fashioned Corn Muffins

Old-Fashioned Corn Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

The test kitchen recommends Quaker’s finely ground yellow cornmeal. On day two, these muffins make delicious toast: Halve, butter, and brown—buttered side down—in a frying pan over medium heat. Lowfat is OK, but don’t use skim milk here.

1	cup  whole or low-fat milk , heated to 110 degrees
4	tablespoons  unsalted butter , melted and cooled slightly
1 1/2	teaspoons  instant or rapid-rise yeast
1	large egg
1 3/4	cups  all-purpose flour
1	cup  cornmeal (see note)
1/4	cup  packed light brown sugar
1	teaspoon  salt

1. WARM OVEN Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. When oven reaches 200 degrees, turn it off. Grease 12-cup muffin tin.
2. MIX BATTER Whisk milk, butter, and yeast in large liquid measuring cup until yeast dissolves, then whisk in egg. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix ½ cup flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, and salt until combined. With mixer on low, add milk mixture in steady stream and mix until dough comes together, about 1 minute. Gradually add remaining flour until incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until batter is thick and elastic, about 3 minutes.
3. LET RISE Using greased ¼-cup measure, transfer batter to muffin cups. Cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and place in turned-off oven until batter reaches rims of muffin cups, about 1 hour.
4. BAKE MUFFINS Remove muffin tin from oven and heat oven to 375 degrees. Discard plastic and bake muffins until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack. Serve. (Muffins can be stored in airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.)
MAKE AHEAD: Filled muffin tin can be refrigerated, covered, for 24 hours. Let batter sit at room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding with step 4.