Corn meal cake with chocolate chip (version 2)
One of the standing topics with mom on our weekly call is always about food. In fact, we dedicate about half and hour strictly to food. She would describe what she made or want to make and inspire me to try new dishes. I’d like to think the favor is returned, when I tell her all the cool things I made she might try them too. This week we were talking about corn meal cakes – she does a steamed version where as I changed it to a baked version. Both yum! And let me tell you, if all chit-chats are this delicious, I’d never stop chit-chatting.
In the past I made corn meal cake before – see link: https://www.eatwithjia.com/2020/08/chinese-cornmeal-cake-yu-mi-gao.html The result from this recipe was on the tougher side, and the dough didn’t want to stick together making it a bit harder to work with. Too much corn meal, not enough flour, and needs more liquids, or so I’m told. Mom says she had a better recipe so I'm giving it a try this weekend.
What you need:
1 cup corn meal
2 cups all purpose flour (1:1 ratio of corn meal and flour was harder to work with)
1 tbsp yeast
6 tbsp of sugar
2 cups warm water (not hot, not cold, WARM)
¼ cup raw almond
3 tbsp of semi-sweet chocolate chip
Recipe:
Mix corn meal, flour, sugar, yeast together.
Add warm water in slowly until you get this runny gooey consistency. You will not be able to form a dough to kneed, it’s like a thick viscous mix, kind of like pancakes batter if you catch my drift.
Add almonds, mix it in.
Oil the glass bakeware (I used my handy dandy 8 x8 cake ware) to reduce sticking, and pour your batter into it. Sprinkle with choco chips. I used about 3 tbsp, you can use as much or as little as you want. Honestly I didn’t have raisins or crasins so we’ll use choco chip this time.
Bake for about 25 min in 350F oven
Bonus side notes:
*Vegan tastiness:
Since there is no dairy or eggs in this recipe, this cake can keep easily out side the fridge for a week. Also, vegan! I have been having a slice of this corn meal cake daily with my morning coffee this week and think it is fantastic for that. You really don’t miss the egg or dairy at all, because the corn meal is rich and satisfying already. Using my mom’s words: “the more you chew, more tasty flavors will come out”. Listen to my mother, because chewing food longer per bite helps digestion too. So much wisdom, you are welcome.
*Bake or steam?
Traditional Asian kitchens are not often equipped with ovens, so steaming is the alternative method for doughy dishes, think dumplings. You get the hot steam cooking method, with lid on to allow dough to rise to beautiful fluffiness. Many dumplings, buns and cakes are cooked this way. I don’t have a massive steaming double layer pot and really didn’t feel like doing this in multiple batches so I chose to bake. However, if you are so inclined, steaming is great and you get this nice fluffy soft bun that smells out of this world.
*Raisins, crasins, vs choco chip.
This original recipe called for raisins which I never have. It just happens I also ran out of crasins too. I ate them all with my nuts and yoghurt so oops. Choco chip is just fine – sure you don’t get the sour sweetness that the corn cakes typically come with, but gooey chocolate needs no other justification. I can even probably do sweetened shredded coconut also probably – there’s always a next time.
It tasted healthy, but not overly so (does that make sense?)
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