Ok, I know it might sound a little out there, but my sweet corn ice cream has become a summer tradition in our house. If you’re feeling a little adventurous or if you just really like sweet corn, this recipe needs to be on your list before all the sweet corn disappears from the local farmer’s market!
When sweet corn ice cream comes up in conversation, the first question I get is, “are there corn kernels in the ice cream?” It’s usually accompanied by a look of skepticism. My version of this ice cream is as smooth and creamy as an ice cream can be! The corn flavor comes from steeping the kernels and cobs in the milk and cream. The unique creamy sweetness the sweet corn adds is absolutely incredible!
I first had sweet corn ice cream at a very fancy ice cream shop near my old condo in Kansas City. This shop is sadly closed, but the shop featured unique and delicious flavors which offered the opportunity to be far more adventurous than chocolate and vanilla. Since their flavors were seasonal, my mom, sister and I would often try to recreate flavors we loved. And that’s how this recipe was born. It’s taken four seasons of Southeast Kansas sweet corn from our neighbors, Vitt Farms, to perfect the recipe. Great timing for Honey, I’m Hungry!
Keys to Success
- Cut the cobs in half. Cutting the corn cobs in half before cutting the kernels off the cob will allow for easier handling and the cobs will fit in a smaller pot. It’s a small extra step, but it will save your fingers and fridge space! I also love this little food processor for small volumes!
- Tips for keeping the dirty dish count down. Homemade ice cream can easily create a mess in the kitchen. This recipe is no different. When choosing a sauce pan, choose one with a matching lid. This way, you don’t have to dirty another vessel when moving from the stove to the fridge to chill. My favorite vessel for ice cream bases (and SO many other recipes) is this classic round dutch oven. These are an investment, BUT, the link takes you to the colors currently on clearance! A great time to splurge! I flip the lid over and use it to hold the cobs instead of dirtying another plate.
- An ice cream machine is necessary. Someday, I’d love to have a no churn version of this recipe, but for now, an ice cream maker is necessary to achieve the creamy dreamy texture. I love the one we got from our wedding registry from Cuisinart. It was quite a bit more expensive from the specialty kitchen shop we registered with, but I found the same one from Walmart for a much better bargain.
- Let your ice cream base get thick enough before chilling. The warm ice cream base should coat the back of a wooded spoon and “hold a line” or when you run a finger down the back of the spoon the base doesn’t fill the space back in.
- Really press on the kernels when straining from the base. All of the sweet corn flavor is inside those kernels. While we don’t want any corn skins in the ice cream (even I think that’s weird) we do want every bit of sweet creamy flavor we can get from those kernels. The corn will almost seem dry once you’ve pressed out as much liquid as possible back into the base.
- Temper those egg yolks so they don’t scramble! The HIH Caramel Bourbon Custard post has some great tips on getting just the right temper on your egg yolks for a smooth creamy custard, which is basically what an ice cream base is.
Sweet Corn Ice Cream
Equipment
- 1 1.5 quart ice cream maker
- 1 large metal bowl
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 food processor
- 1 medium sauce pan with lid
- 1 Wooden spoon
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Medium bowl
- 1 metal strainer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- 1 quart sized airtight glass container
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 large ears of fresh corn
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon table salt
Instructions
Instructions
- Cut the kernels from the cobs. Cut the cobs in half and set aside. Puree the corn in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- In a medium saucepan combine the milk, cream and pureed corn, corn cobs and 1/2 of the sugar. Heat over medium-high to scald the milk. Watch closely, stir occasionally to prevent burning and boil over.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pot and allow to steep for 1/2 hour.
- Remove the cobs from the pot and set aside. Reheat the milk mixture to scalding.
- While the milk is heating, whisk together the yolks, the remaining sugar and the salt.
- Temper the yolk mixture by slowly ladling some of the hot milk mixture into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Then, whisk the remaining scalding milk into the tempered yolk mixture then return the entire mixture to the saucepan. Heat over medium low, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
- Strain the custard through a fine mesh strainer. Press the back of the wooden spoon on the corn solids to remove all the liquid, discard the solids. Stir in the vanilla and add the cobs back to the warm custard. Cool for at least 3-4 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Remove the cobs from the custard, scrape any cream clinging to the cobs back into the custard. Run in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s directions. Scoop the ice cream into a container, lay plastic wrap on the surface then cover the container. Enjoy as soft serve immediately or for a traditional firm ice cream, freeze for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Nutrition
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