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1
Preheat the oven to 425F.
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2
Butter an 8- or 9-inch baking dish or cast-iron skillet.
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3
Mix together: 3/4 cup cornmeal, 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon sugar (optional), 1 tablespoon baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon salt.
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4
Pour into a 2-cup measuring cup: 1 cup milk.
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5
Whisk in: 1 egg.
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6
Make a well in the dry ingredients, pour in the egg and milk mixture, and whisk or stir until well mixed and smooth.
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7
Stir in: 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted.
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8
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cornbread is brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
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9
Pour the batter into 12 buttered muffin tins and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
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10
For denser cornbread, reverse the amounts of cornmeal and flour, using 1 cup cornmeal and 3/4 cup flour.
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11
Or use only cornmeal.
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12
For a crispier crust, put the cast-iron pan in the oven while it is preheating, with 1 tablespoon butter (or, for more flavor, 1 tablespoon bacon drippings).
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13
When the pan is hot, take it out of the oven, tilt it to distribute the fat evenly, and then pour in the batter.
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14
To make buttermilk cornbread, use 1 1/4 cups buttermilk instead of the milk and instead of 1 tablespoon baking powder, use 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.
