Virginia Box Bread Recipes

VIRGINIA SPOON BREAD

Steps:

• Mix salt with cornmeal, cut in shortening.
• Slowly pour boiling water into mixture, stirring as you pour.
• Beat the eggs with the milk, stir into cornmeal mixture.
• Add baking powder and blend all ingredients well.
• Grease a casserole dish generously and pour in the mixture.
• Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, stirring 2-3 times before the mixture congeals Serve hot from the casserole with a spoon.

VIRGINIA CLISE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir yeast into 1 cup warm water to dissolve. Stir in 1/4 cup sugar. In a separate large bowl, stir salt into 5 cups warm water to dissolve; stir in shortening and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. After yeast foams, stir salt mixture into yeast mixture.
• Mix in the 1/2 of the flour, and then mix in remaining flour 2 cups at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• Form the dough into approximately 30 to 40 rounds. Place on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake rolls in preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes, or until brown. Serve warm.

VIRGINIA SPOON BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter 6-cup soufflé dish. Bring water to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Whisk until mixture is very thick, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Mix in butter, then milk, salt and pepper. Cool 10 minutes. Mix in egg yolks. Beat white in medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into lukewarm cornmeal mixture in 2 additions.
• Transfer batter to prepared dish. Bake until puffed, golden on top and set in center, about 35 minutes. Serve hot.

VIRGINIA SPOONBREAD (OR SPOON BREAD)

Steps:

• 1. Pour boiling water over cornmeal in a bowl which can withstand the heat. Stir and wait for it to cool, at least 30 minutes. Grease a pie plate with lard (or butter) and set aside.
• 2. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine soaked cornmeal with all remaining ingredients and stir well. Put into pie plate and bake, stirring every five minutes or so or until desired consistency.
• 3. Some people add a few tablespoons of milk each time they stir and bake for a longer time. It just depends on what consistency you prefer and it also helped to keep the bread from getting too hard and dry when wood was the oven's source of heat!