MAPLE CORNBREAD MUFFINS

Maple Cornbread Muffins  

Makes 12 muffins

1 cup sifted flour

1 cup cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup real maple syrup

2 tablespoons melted butter, slightly cooled, for batter

3 tablespoons butter for muffin pan

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put a generous 1/4 teaspoon butter in each cup of a 12 cup muffin pan and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together and then sift. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, syrup, and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. The mixture will be somewhat thin and have a few small lumps. Let the mixture sit for about a minute before filling the muffin pan.

3. While the mixture sits, place the muffin pan in the preheated oven, just long enough for the butter to melt and get hot, about one minute. Remove the pan from the oven, and very carefully swirl the pan so that the melted butter comes up the sides of the cups somewhat.

4. Evenly divide the cornbread mixture into the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove muffins from pan onto wire rack. Serve warm with maple butter, if desired.

Maple Butter: Mix 6 tablespoons softened butter with 2 tablespoons real maple syrup until creamy and smooth. This is very good on pancakes, too.