Corn Dodger
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a hot oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
In a bowl, combine cornmeal, fat, and salt.
Pour boiling water over the mixture and beat well.
Shape and bake
Form the mixture into small cakes.
Bake in a hot oven at 400°F (200°C) until golden brown.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Cornmeal
- Forms the main body of the dough and sets into a firm, sturdy crumb when baked.
- Fat
- Adds richness and tenderness, coating the meal particles so the cakes feel less dry.
- Boiling water
- Hydrates the cornmeal and gelatinises its starch, letting the mixture bind into a shapeable dough.
The step that matters
Pour boiling water over the mixture and beat well. Boiling water must be fully worked into the cornmeal so starches swell evenly. Under-mixed pockets stay dry and crumbly, while the heat helps the dough hold together when shaped.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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