Masa harina is one a staple in many classic recipes ranging from tamales to tortillas, providing strong flavor and unmatched texture that cannot be replicated by any other flour due to the unique nixtamalization process with which it is made. But masa harina can also be a versatile ingredient throughout your baking: the same characteristics that make it such an essential component of so many classic dishes can have a surprisingly big effect in unexpected places, from pancake THE cheese puffs.
Case in point: this Break with whipped lemon. With an ethereal texture and subtle corn flavor, it's a recipe that goes beyond the basic dough with the simple addition of masa harina.
Developing a recipe for masa harina shortbread
“The first time I whipped up shortbread was from a baker I worked with Baked in Brooklyn, whose recipe came from her aunt or grandmother,” says King Arthur recipe tester Molly Marzalek-Kelly. “The first bite just melted in my mouth. And I thought, these are phenomenal.” The name “whipped” refers to the delicious softness of the cookies, a contrast to the rich, dense crumb of typical bread.
Inspired by that memorable cookie, Molly kept whipped dough on her recipe wish list for a long time. When King Arthur debuted our new masa harina, she knew it was the perfect opportunity to finally develop a recipe.
“Because masa harina is gluten-free, it will contribute more to that characteristically fine, delicate crumbly texture of shortcrust pastry,” explains Molly. “By making them with all-purpose flour, the cookies have a little more texture.”
Julia A. Reed
It wasn't just texture that masa harina added. Inspired by Mexican street corn, with its combination of sour citrus flavor and nutty corn, Molly was drawn to the idea of combining masa harina with lemon. “These cookies are definitely lemon, but the corn is far from the background flavor. They are also pretty forward.”
The final result of the cookie
What Molly ended up with was a cookie that has a consistency she calls “melty,” plus layers of lemon and corn flavor.
The gluten-free masa harina contributes to the cookies' crumbly, soft texture, but a few other recipe elements Molly added also help create a distinctively light, almost airy cookie: the choice of sugar and how long you beat the butter .
According to Molly, “Using confectioners' sugar—and added cornstarch—instead of granulated sugar really helps keep the texture delicate. Meanwhile, beating the butter, sugar, salt and lemon zest on high speed for 5 minutes helps to introduce a lot of air into the batter, which can be seen and tasted in the softness of the baked cookie.”
Kristen dough
The result is a cookie with a signature “whipped” texture: light as air, but grounded in earthy, nutty flavors.
Try masa harina in other baked goods
Beyond shortbread, masa harina adds new textures and flavors to all kinds of baked goods. Get waffles, for example – masa harina transforms them into a hearty and delicious center that can be served at any time of the day. Try it in double flavor corn bread (even more corn!) or a delicacy light cake with a little bite.
Kristen dough
And if you want to play in the kitchen, you can substitute some masa harina in recipes that don't call for it. Molly suggests starting from replacing masa harina with up to 25% of all-purpose flour in a recipe by weight, and maybe even starting a little lower than that much. “Because it's gluten-free, it doesn't behave the same as all-purpose flour,” she explains. “And keep an eye on your prescription hydration, too. Masa harina is very thirsty and will absorb more liquid, so even when you soak up to 25%, you may need more liquid in the recipe.”
Keeping these nuances in mind, she recommends that everyone give this flour a little while baking. “For bakers looking for that added layer of flavor in their baked goods, this is an easy and accessible approach.”
Check out our full range of masa harina recipes, from tamales to tequila cake, in our Collection of Masa Harina recipes.
Cover photo by Kristin Teig.
