Cornmeal Griddle Cakes - PUBLISHED

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/260553/cornmeal-griddle-cakes/

1 - Ben seems to want to eat these with everything. He even suggested they could be used with caviar. I think this one doesn't need much on my part and is already done. I just want to spruce up the instructions a bit.
2 - Apparently I made a different kind of griddle cake - these rose into flap-jack-like thickness. They were good, but they lost something in the transformation. And I made these changes just to try and avoid lumps in the batter. Apparently beating in the flour into the cornmeal before adding the milk and eggs makes a big difference. I've kept the flapjack version at the bottom, with all the marked changes.
3 - Adding the butter in the with boiling water works just fine. I continue to be amazed at how changing the sequencing can have such an impact on the final product.
4 - The trick to fewer lumps is actually at the stage where you add the flour et al. If one takes the time to break down the cornmeal into small bits covered in flour, then adding the egg and milk becomes so much easier.

3/4 cups cornmeal
1/2 cup boiling water
1 Tbsps butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 Tbsps sugar
1 Tbsps baking powder
1 pinch salt
3/4 cups milk
1 egg, beaten

1. Cook the cornmeal in the boiling water with the butter over low heat for 5-10 minutes.
2. Stir in the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and beat with a wooden spoon until well incorporated. It's important at the stage to be thorough and break down the cornmeal into small particles covered in the flour mixture; this will make adding the milk and eggs to make a smooth batter so much easier.
3. Mix in the milk and beaten egg and beat with a wooden spoon until the big lumps are gone. You can probably use a whisk since the batter should be pretty liquid. To tell the truth, I've made this with lumps in and you can't tell from the finished product.
4. Heat a griddle or pan over medium heat for 5 minutes before putting anything in it.
5. Add a bit of oil or fat and swirl around to cover the bottom of the pan, then drop soup spoons full of batter onto the griddle (you can fit 5 if you're careful) and cook until the edges are dry.
6. Flip and cook again until brown, set aside in a warm oven while repeating the process with the rest of the batter.

• Pour cornmeal and butter into a large bowl. Cover with boiling water and stir until the butter is melted. Let stand until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Cook over low heat, 5-10 minutes.
• In a separate bowl mix together Stir in flour, sugar, melted butter, baking powder, and salt. 
• Mix in milk and egg until batter is smooth.
• Whisk in the cornmeal until the batter is smooth.
• Heat a lightly greased griddle over medium heat for 5 minutes before using. 
• Drop soup spoonfuls of batter onto the griddle and cook until edges are dry, 2 to 3 minutes. 
• Flip and cook until browned on the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more. 
• Repeat with the remaining batter.