Sustainable Maize Bread ~ Modern-Day Homestead Bread

Maize bread is a simple staple to make if you do not have a whole lot of bread-making skills or a full pantry of ingredients. Flour, sugar, yeast, and eggs are expensive and sometimes hard to find. This bread does not take on a strong corn flavor and does not taste like cornbread. It is a simple staple that has a spongy white bread texture that is slightly sweet.

Items Needed:

Blender

Heating pad (for proofing)

One pint or one can of whole corn or sweet corn

Two eggs

¼ cup sugar

Two cups flour

Three teaspoons yeast

Salt

Butter or bacon grease to grease a pan

10-inch skillet or casserole dish

This recipe is easy, but it does take an hour or two to proof the bread (rise).

Gather your ingredients to put in the blender.

Put the can (pint) of corn in the blender first.

Add the sugar, yeast, and eggs next.

Add salt if your canned corn doesn't have much, or omit the salt if you have restrictions.

My canned corn has ¼ tsp of salt in each can, so I added a little more canning salt for flavor.

{You can withhold the eggs if you feel uncertain about keeping them warm for an hour before baking. Scramble them and fold them in later. I'm comfortable with my homegrown eggs and don't mind using them in unstable conditions. Do what makes you feel safe. Warming eggs in a bread-proof is not my recommendation for you.}

Blend until smooth.

Add the mixture to a large bowl that can be covered with plastic wrap.

Add one cup of flour.

Mix in the flour. No need to over-mix and lumps are okay.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. I use a rubber band to keep it from falling in. Using a larger bowl to hold a heating pad around the bowl. Set the bread bowl inside and flip the heating pad over the top. Set the heating pad on high and let it proof for around an hour. The plastic wrap will swell and balloon up.

Look at all those scratches on this four-year-old stove! That's good use!

After an hour, or as soon as the dough mixture has doubled in size, heat the oven to 425º. Do not let the bread dough rise longer. Too much acid can be created in over-proofing that will ruin the loft of this bread. More isn't better here.

Add another cup of flour and mix well by hand. {Add your scrambled eggs and fold them in now if you withheld them.} The floof will mix out but don't worry - it will return.

The mixture will be wet, flat, and lumpy. This is normal. Owning a silicone spatula for 20 years is not. I prefer wooden tools but went all fancy for the blog.

Place the mixture in a greased 10-inch skillet or casserole dish and set it on the heating pad on high again to let it rise again while the oven warms up.