For An Easy Cornbread Upgrade, Use Corn Milk Instead Of Regular
Cornbread recipes tend to be pretty standard. While some people add a touch of honey, whole kernels of corn, or slices of jalapeños, the basic ingredients generally remain the same. So if there's a way to upgrade this soft yet filling bread, why not take advantage? One way to do so is by switching out the regular milk for corn-infused milk. And while corn milk isn't something that you'll find on the shelves with soy, oat, and almond, it is something that you can make at home. This means you can customize the corn milk to your taste preference.
By using corn milk in place of regular milk, you'll get a cornbread that tastes much more like actual corn. That extra use of corn will enhance the sweet notes in the cornmeal, creating a more intense corn flavor. And, depending on how you prepare the milk, it can add a profile that wouldn't otherwise show up in the loaf — such as notes of roasted corn.
Different ways to make corn milk
Corn milk can be made in a few different ways. For milk with those smoky hints of roasted corn, you'll need to roast some corn on the cob first. From there, slice off the kernels, then add them to a blender along with some buttermilk (or other liquid dairy as you prefer) and — voilà! — you've got corn milk that will make a beautiful and delicious replacement for the regular milk in your cornbread.
Feel free to blend the corn milk however you like, leaving it somewhat chunky or until it is perfectly smooth. If you don't want to use a blender and incorporate the actual corn into the milk, you can heat some milk and let the kernels steep until their flavors infuse the liquid instead. Then strain the milk and use it to make your cornbread.
Alternatively, corn milk can be an economical way to use leftover corncobs. To do it this way, put the cobs in a pot with some milk, add a bit of salt to bring out the flavor, heat the pot on the stove, and let it all marinate. Once the liquid is infused, squeeze the cobs so that all of the milk goes back into the pot. Lastly, you can also scrape leftover cobs with the back of a knife, essentially juicing them while removing the leftover bits of kernel. This yellow liquid can then be added to regular milk for cornbread.
Don't waste that leftover corn milk
However you choose to make corn milk, it'll give your cornbread a delicious boost of creamy corn flavor. But if you've made more than you need, you may be wondering what to do with the rest. Fortunately, there are plenty of opportunities to use corn milk as it can be swapped in any recipe that calls for the regular stuff.
Some of the most obvious uses include corn chowder or any kind of chowder where the taste of corn would add a nice sweet burst of flavor. You could also use it in any number of baked goods or desserts, such as bread pudding or corn-flavored ice cream. Or in any type of batter that requires milk, including crêpes, pancakes, waffles, or French toast. With so many potential uses, it's worth making an extra large batch that will stretch beyond the best cornbread ever.