Anadama Bread - Breads & Spreads

¾ cup boiling water

½ cup yellow corn meal

3 Tablespoons shortening

¼ cup molasses

2 teaspoons salt

1 package active dry yeast

¼ cup warm water (not hot)

2 ¾ cup flour

1 egg

In large mixing bowl, stir boiling water, cornmeal, shortening, molasses and salt. Cool to lukewarm. Dissolve the packet of yeast in the warm water, letting it foam up. Measure out the flour into another bowl.

Add the yeast mixture, egg and half of the flour to the wet mixture. Beat for 2 minutes on medium speed (or mix by using 300 vigorous strokes), scraping sides and bottom of bowl frequently. Add rest of flour and mix with spoon until thoroughly blended.

Grease loaf pan. Spread the batter evenly in the pan. The batter will be sticky. Smooth out the top of the loaf by flouring hands and patting into shape. Heat oven to 375 F.

Let the dough rise in a warm place (85 degrees) until the batter reaches the top of an 8 ½ inch pan (or an inch from the top of a 9 inch pan; this takes about 1 ½ hours.) Sprinkle top of loaf with a little cornmeal and salt. Bake 50-55 minutes or until the loaf is hollow when you tap the top of it. The crust will be  dark brown. Immediately remove the loaf from the pan to the cooking rack. Brush the top with melted butter and cool before cutting.

This amount of batter can be divided into 6 mini loaf pans Let the batter rise to the top of these pans. Bake 30-35 minutes.