Thanksgiving Cranberry Corn Bread
It will soon be American Thanksgiving, so I thought I’d re-post our Thanksgiving Cranberry Corn bread. It’s based on the Portuguese Broa style (page 151 in the book)—it’s the regular Master Recipe, but with 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour taken out and replaced with an equal amount of cornmeal.
Here’s what you need to do. Take about 2 pounds of the Broa dough mentioned above and shape it into a ball; then flatten it with your hands and a rolling pin until it’s about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle the dough with 1/3 of a cup of dried cranberries (or 1/2 cup fresh):
Now break out your microzester, and use it to scrape the zest from half an orange…
… now sprinkle that over the cranberries, and then sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of granulated sugar over that…
Now roll it up like a jelly roll… If it sticks to the board as you’re rolling, nudge it off with a dough scraper.
Tuck the ends under to form a ball, flatten it on a work surface, and then, using your hands and a rolling pin, make a disk the right size for a 12-inch cast iron pan. It should be about an inch or inch and a half thick. If you don’t have a cast-iron pan, see below.** This instruction applies to this flattened thanksgiving bread only; you can make loaf breads this way too (freeform or in a pan).
Grease the pan well with butter, lard, bacon grease, or oil (I used olive oil today), and place the dough round in it.
Allow to rest for at least 1 hour and 20 minutes. You’ll get a more open hole structure if you wait two hours.
Put a broiler tray in the oven to dump water to make steam. 20 minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F if you keep a baking stone in the oven. If you don’ t use a stone, a 5-minute pre-heat is adequate (the stone isn’t required since you’ll bake in the cast-iron).
Just before baking, heat the cast-iron pan over medium heat for 1 or 2 minutes to jump-start the baking process and promote caramelization of the bottom crust. Don’t overdo it–no more than 2 minutes. It will start to sizzle.
Place the pan on a rack near the center of the oven. Pour 1 cup of water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Depending on the thickness of your loaf and the weight of the pan, baking time will be about 25 minutes.
Carefully turn the hot loaf out of the pan onto a serving plate or cooling rack, or just cut wedges directly out of the pan once it cools. Be careful with the hot cast-iron pan!
You should get a result just like the cover photo. Happy Thanksgiving! Other Thanksgiving recipes:
Stuffing from homemade bread: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1228
Thanksgiving buns: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=443
Thanksgiving Pumpkin Pie Brioche: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=1209
Roasting Your Own Pumpkins: https://artisanbreadinfive.com/?p=50
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** This bread can be done as a simple free-form loaf right on a baking stone, cookie sheet, or silicone mat (about the same baking time, or in a loaf pan (longer baking time needed). Either way, it’s done at 425 degrees.
Will definitely be trying the cranberry-cornbread recipe over Thanksgiving! THANKS. I have told so many people about your bread making method; everyone loves it.
Wow, this is a great deal! I just received my bucket from King Arthur and I love it. I also ordered and received a dough hook after seeing Zoe using hers. It works fantastic! This is a fantastic giveaway. The corn bread looks fabulous. Thank you!!
I love this bread. I am now gluten free now though, so look forward to trying the gluten free version in the second book- which I have yet to get!
Yum! I have the 2nd book but I have yet to make any bread. This would definitely get me started! 🙂
Oh cranberries and corn bread. A very tasty sounding match.
Thanks for all of the great recipes. I always have a batch of something in the fridge.
We had corn bread in a cast iron skillet when I was growing up and it was great. This is the perfect time of the year to add the cranberries. Can’t wait to make this next week. Oh how I would like to win this give-a-way!!!! 🙂
Me !!!! What a great give-away 🙂
Looks delicious!
The recipe sounds great. I’m surprised I’d missed it in my thumbing through the book. I’ll have to take another look at everything else there.
The giveaway sounds like a great deal to whomever wins.
That is a great gift idea!
Wow, I would love to try organic flour! Thanks for the opportunity to win some great goodies. Thank you!!
We had a great five-minute braided loaf tonight with dinner!
I LOVE BREAD!
What a great give-away… Fingers crossed!
I’ve been wanting to try my hand at baking bread. Your book sounds great, and you make baking bread sound so easy! Hopefully, even I can have success at this. Thank you for the chance to win the contest.
Here’s one more comment to the pile.
And in case everyone hasn’t tried the Pletzel. So good. DO IT!
Your recipes are easy to make and delicious as well! My family especially likes the cinnamon bread which I baked in small loaf pans using Zoe’s instructions.
What a great give-a-way! I love King Arthur products, and I only have your second book, so a copy of the original would be awesome.
That cornbread looks delicious! This is such a great giveaway, keeping our fingers crossed!
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
I’m looking forward to making a Thanksgiving version of your milk & honey bread using craisins and orange zest. I think it will make the perfect foundation for turkey sandwiches the day after the big meal. Now that I’ve seen this recipe, I think I’ll have to try this, too!
I’ve been asked to make the bread for Thanksgiving, think I may try the cranberry corn bread along with the favorites, like rosemary baguette, zaatar, and rye bread!
Just want to say “Thank you!” for giving us alternatives to homemade bread, esp. the gluten-free recipes!
looks like a great recipe – thanks.
Can’t wait to try out this recipe for the holidays! Hooray for easier (and tastier) baking routines!
What a great give-away for the holiday! Wish everyone (and myself) good luck! 🙂
A very happy Thanksgiving to all! I think we’d all agree that Zoe and Jeff are near the very top of our what we’re thankful for list, and I’m not just saying that! I am such a fan and have converted a ton of friends to Ain5.
Thank you, guys, for your books and for your continuing baking ideas and personal support in answering questions, clarifying techniques etc.
It must be vastly satisfying to be responsible for warm, delicious bread in so many households. Please keep doing what you’re doing.
Margot
hiii I’d love to try this recipie, does it matter if its fine corn meal or coarse?
Also I was wondering if you can add fresh blueberries instead or is that hardered to work with?
I’d love to win a copy of your book!!
Hoping to win. Would love the bread bucket and i always use king Arthur flour so could always use more.
Yum, I love cornbread and haven’t tried this recipe.
I’ve spent the last six months living in a place with no oven, and now that I’ve moved to a place with that blessed appliance, I want to use it! Several friends have been raving about ABI5, and I flipped through a copy in the bookstore, but can’t afford it right now. It’s at the top of my wish list!
What a great gift this would make! I just bought the book and am loving everything in it. Fresh, warm bread on a weeknight. What a concept! Thanks.
Would love the bread bucket and have discovered how great the King Arthur flour is! This recipe looks good too.
What a lovely giveaway! That bread looks good, too 🙂
Yum! This bread sounds SOOOO YUMMY! I don’t think I can wait until Thanksgiving to try it. I love King Arthur flour, too. What a winning combination.
Great giveaway! I could use a new dough tub! And I’m going to make this bread ASAP!
I never win anything! I love King Arthur brand, it makes the best pizza dough.
I’d love to win the first book. I have the second book and would love the first!
I love King Arthur flour and I’d absolutely love to have the tub. It would make a great birthday present :O)
Oh man, I love King Arthur Flour! I’ve already got the book, but I could find a good home for another copy 🙂
I think I’ll make the cornbread, but not for Thanksgiving. Too many people have things they just have to have like home, you know?
This bread sounds great!
I love reading all the tips about making good bread easier. How did you know I had a zester, lol. I’ve put off making homemade bread because of being too busy but the idea of not spending a lot of time, is very appealing.
Bread looks wonderful, this is a great giveaway!
Love to have a new dough tub! Thanks.
That sounds wonderful. Going to have to try it.
Thanks for sharing this recipe! It looks tasty and easy!
This recipe sounds terrific and I plan to take it to Thanksgiving Dinner. My grandson’s favorite bread is the Broa and my granddaughter loves anything sweet so it should please both of them. If I win, I am going to use the book, tub, and danish whisk as a gift to a friend who I have told about this method.
this is an amazing giveaway!! THANK YOU!!! I am excited to try the stuffing recipe. i have been anxious to prepare my very first thanksgiving dinner and this stuffing will set it off right!
I just started making your bread using the recipe from Family Fun and we love it. My kids love sweet rolls, so I am loving having the dough on hand to bake for them!