Yes, you read that right. Corn, as in corn on the cob, ice cream.
And no, I’m not a total nutbar (well, maybe). Although, I must admit, I’m not sure I’d make this again. It was over-the-top rich and creamy. As in creamed corn, which I’m not crazy about. It looked gorgeous though, don’t you agree? A lot like my beet ice cream. Pretty on the outside, peculiar on the inside.
corny ice cream
what you need (a sense of culinary adventure)
1 & 1/2 cups whole milk
1 & 1/2 cups half & half
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
3 Large egg yolks
kernels from 2 large ears of corn *
* Remove and discard the husks. Boil the ears for about 10 minutes, remove from water and let cool. Remove the kernels and set aside in a small bowl. Save the corn cobs for later.
what you do (quit while you’re ahead, eat the corn with butter and sea salt and make plain homemade vanilla ice cream)
naah, be brave
Combine the milk and cream in a medium saucepan. Break the de-corned corn cobs (I don’t know what to call them) in two and carefully drop them into the cream mixture. Bring ingredients to a slow boil, reduce heat and simmer lightly for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. Once the 30 minutes is up, remove pan from heat and remove corn cobs.
Combine the eggs, egg yolks and maple syrup in a medium bowl and beat on low-medium speed for about 1-1/2 to 2 minutes. Scoop out 1 cup of the hot liquid from the milk/cream mixture. With mixer on low speed, add the cup of hot liquid to the egg mixture in a slow steady stream. When thoroughly combined, pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium low heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Transfer to a bowl, cover with a piece of plastic wrap placed directly on the custard, and chill completely.
Turn on ice cream maker, pour the chilled custard into the freezer bowl per manufacturer’s directions and let mix for 25 minutes until thickened. Add kernels and mix another 5 minutes. Eat or freeze for later.
I’m thinking a drizzle of caramel sauce might be nice on this – caramel corn ice cream. Literally.
Go forth and try new things (but maybe not this)!
Melissa
P.S. I can’t decide if this is oddly wonderful or just plain weird and slightly unpleasant. I keep tasting it though. Hmmm?
I think you have to try it with the caramel sauce before you decide! I wish I were there … I’d try this ice cream (with and without caramel sauce), but I don’t think I’m going to all the trouble to make it. My friend’s husband who is an ice cream maker extraordinaire always leaves his mixture in the fridge over night for an infusion effect and then sometimes strains it before he makes it (depending upon ingredients) before churning it. I wonder if that would make this one better or not. Anyway, I love that you made this … it’s fun to experiment. 🙂
Shirley
I think I will keep my vegetables separate from my ice cream. But, I commend you for trying.
You are crazy! hahaha
Shirley,
IF I did this again, I’d skip adding the corn cobs to the liquid mixture. It made it so rich, creamy and sweet. There’s a reason they make corn syrup out of corn. The stuff is SWEET. I think that made it too “creamed corny.” But, like I said, I doubt I’ll bother with this again. But, I have to say, there’s potential here. There was something intriguing and tasty about this. I’m just not sure what it was.
🙂
Cindy,
I think you’re probably smart to keep them apart! Although I have to say, it is fun to play with your food and experiment. Sometimes it works, sometimes not so well. This was a “not so well but maybe with some tweaking” recipe.
Katrina,
That’s not the first time I’ve heard that! And I might have to agree with you on this one.
🙂
Melissa,
I love popcorn slightly sweetened and freshly made…. so maybe I’d use an icecream to dunk into the popcorn and get the benefit of two first class treats 🙂
Cid
p.s. put popcorn on our list of nibbles for the soup kitchen enterprize… we’ll just have a huge machine in the middle so guests can hold out their napkins and catch their own 🙂
Melissa,
You go for it! If we didn’t try out new ideas we wouldn’t have crème brûlée. You could serve a good scoop of this with a slice of polenta cake for a full-on corn overload! You are mad as a box of frogs, and perhaps this wasn’t a resounding success, but the next one could get your face on an ice cream tub.
Keep on truckin.’ It’s always so fun reading your posts and you’ve really ‘bowled a googly’ with this one!
GDave
Cid,
I was actually inspired to try this by a recipe that made up into an ice cream sandwich, with the “sandwich” part having something to do with caramel corn (now I can’t remember). But it appears that, between the two of us, we could probably come up with some sort of bizarre pop corn ice cream treat for a dessert special. Of course, that would follow the kale and kohlrabi soup.
I don’t know, is this creative genius or a culinary nightmare?? (Don’t tell Miles.)
Well, whatever the outcome, I’m sure we’d enjoy the process, billowy sleeves flapping as we direct our many customers to their seats.
GDave,
I would suspect you to be egging me on. “Mad as a box of frogs?”
Or, nuttier than a squirrel turd?
Hey, that could be the name of my ice cream, although I think I’ll pass on having my picture on the tub. Do you want to volunteer? Leggo hair and all?
Okay, what does “bowled a googly” mean?
Love you Brits! And thanks for the encouragement. I think.
🙂
Oh, gosh! Melissa - I was just on my way over to do some blog reading when your comment popped up on the blog!
I’m all about odd flavored ice creams — so this is right up my alley. And, I must admit, I’m a bit disappointed thinking it might be a flop. Corn, cream, maple syrup — how can something so right be so wrong?? 🙂
I’m loving the idea of this corny ice cream paired with caramel sauce — did you try it that way? Maybe a bit of fleur de sel on top for good measure?
Love the popped corn idea!!
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