We created these muffins as a takeout version of our hugely popular jalapeño cornbread and they have now become a staple. As with any muffin, they are best enjoyed warm from the oven and smothered in butter. The texture of these muffins is in your hands. We prefer them with a firm, dense consistency; resting the batter for up to 3 hours before baking will make them so. Cooking them straight away will make for a more crumbly, light-textured muffin. Either way they are delicious.
Makes: 12
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 3 hours resting
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Photography: Issy Croker
Styling: Shamina Somani & Renée Williams
Season: Summer/Autumn
Ingredients
430g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1½ tbsp smoked hot paprika
160g instant polenta
10g fine sea salt
3 eggs
400ml whole milk
240ml vegetable oil
320g sweetcorn kernels (tinned is fine)
160g grated Cheddar
3 jalapeño peppers, deseeded and finely chopped
Handful of fresh coriander (leaves and stalks), roughly chopped
Method
-
Butter 12 individual muffin tins or a 12-hole muffin tin.
-
Sift the flour, baking powder and smoked paprika into a bowl. Add the polenta and salt and stir together until evenly mixed.
-
Lightly whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl, before whisking in the milk and oil. The oil will rest on top, which is fine.
-
Mix the dry ingredients bowl into the wet and stir until combined, then fold in the sweetcorn, Cheddar, jalapeños and chopped coriander.
-
Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 muffin moulds and set aside – for a denser texture leave to rest in the moulds for 3 hours. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6.
-
Bake the muffins for 25–30 minutes. Check to see if they are ready by inserting a wooden skewer into the centre of a muffin. If the skewer comes out clean, they are ready. Remove from the oven and let them sit for 5–10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Serve immediately
Read more: Caravan Dining All Day
It’s one of our favourite brunch spots and coffee roasters, and there was no doubt the cookbook was going to be beautiful too. Yes, the jalapeño cornbread recipe is in there.
— about the author
