I write from the dining table of our cozy new home. Reader, I can hardly believe we are here. After many ups and downs, it seems like a miracle that the house is built and real and is a place where I can sit and write. But here I am! I have a lot to share about the house, but that will come in another post very soon. Instead, I come with a deeply tasty Pear and Blue Cheese Cornbread recipe just in time for Thanksgiving. It combines: 1) the savory creaminess of Stilton blue cheese 2) the sweet honey flavor of ripe pears and 3) the cozy vibes of a rich autumn cornbread.
I used Greek yogurt in the cornbread batter because it adds a moisture that many cornbread recipes sorely lack (isn’t it a shame when you bite into cornbread and it feels like your mouth is full of sand? The WORST. ) I also added the frozen one. corn kernels in the batter because I love the sweetness of fresh corn and they add moisture to the cornbread while baking. And there are chopped fresh pears and crumbled blue cheese folded in, of course, plus some thinly sliced pears and extra crumbled blue cheese on top for good measure. As for blue cheese, there are MANY different types and I recommend using Stilton blue cheese for its nutty, sweet-salty flavor.
Also, I took these photos in the new kitchen! It was my first time cooking and photographing in this room, and it was a real pleasure. For me, a new place never feels like home until I’ve cooked in it – it’s been that way in every house and apartment we’ve lived in over the years. And after imagining cooking and moving around this kitchen for years, it was really comforting to be able to create something delicious in this space. We’re getting used to the quirks of things (our new oven’s convection setting cooks faster than our old one, so forgive the extra browned edges of the cornbread in these photos!), but I can honestly say it seems Very nice to be home. And with that, dear reader, I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving and/or a great week ahead, depending on where you are. Enjoy this tasty cornbread + hope to be back posting more regularly soon!
Cornbread Pears And Blue Cheese
This delicious Pear and Blue Cheese Cornbread combines the savory creaminess of Stilton blue cheese with the sweet, honeyed flavor of ripe pears, all nestled in a rich autumn cornbread. Have fun, my friend!
-
1 3/4
cup
medium ground yellow cornmeal -
1 3/4
cup
Flour -
1/4
cup
plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar -
2 1/4
teaspoons
baking powder -
1 1/2
teaspoons
salt -
1
teaspoon
baking soda -
1 1/2
cups
plain full fat Greek yogurt
room temperature -
1/3
cup
plus 1 tablespoon butter
melted -
2
egg
room temperature -
3
spoons
Honey -
1
small pear
about 5 ounces, peeled and finely chopped -
1/2
cup
frozen corn kernels -
6
ounces
blue cheese
ideally stilton, crumbled -
1
long pear
cut into VERY thin slices lengthwise
-
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
-
Place the dry ingredients in the planetary mixer and mix at low speed with the whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the yogurt, eggs, butter, and honey and mix on low speed until everything is *just* combined. Add the frozen corn, chopped pear, and about 3/4 of the crumbled blue cheese and fold into the mixture until evenly distributed.
-
Pour the dough into the greased pan and spread it out with a spatula to even it out on top. Sprinkle with the remaining crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, then place the pear slices on top, gently pressing them into the batter to secure them in place. You don’t need to use all the pear slices, just enough to attractively cover the cornbread.
-
Place on the lowest rack of the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs (not wet), about 35 to 45 minutes. Check about 10 minutes beforehand to see if it is browning too quickly on the surface and add foil if necessary, then bake until it passes the toothpick test. If you use a convection oven it will cook faster, so keep an eye on it!
-
Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving. It will keep covered in the refrigerator for several days. You can also slice it and freeze it in an airtight container for several months.
Try to slice long pears as thinly as possible. This will help ensure that the cornbread cooks evenly underneath the pears and doesn’t stay wet right underneath them on the surface.
Nutrition Facts
Cornbread Pears And Blue Cheese
Quantity per serving
Calories 328
Calories from fat 108
% daily value*
Fat 12 g18%
Saturated fat 6g38%
Trans fat 0.2 g
Polyunsaturated fats 1g
Monounsaturated fats 3g
Cholesterol 53 mg18%
Sodium 511 mg22%
Potassium 311mg9%
Carbohydrates 46 g15%
4g fiber17%
Sugar 12g13%
Protein 11 g22%
Vitamin A 314 IU6%
Vitamin C 2 mg2%
Soccer 148 mg15%
Iron 2 mg11%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.