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Old-South Spoon Bread
Melissa Hart

Old-South Spoon Bread

Spoon bread is too soft to slice and too savory to call pudding. The cornmeal is cooked in milk first, then eggs and baking powder lift it in the oven. Serve it immediately; the airy center settles as it cools, and that's normal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup fine white cornmeal
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs separated
  • 2 tsp baking powder

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and butter a 2-quart baking dish.
  2. Bring the milk to a simmer, whisk in the cornmeal, and cook for 5 minutes until thick enough to leave trails.
  3. Remove from the heat, stir in the butter and salt, and cool for 10 minutes before whisking in the egg yolks and baking powder.
  4. Beat the egg whites to soft peaks and fold them into the cornmeal mixture in 3 additions.
  5. Pour into the dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until puffed, golden and just set in the center.
  6. Spoon into bowls within 10 minutes of leaving the oven.