These silky-smooth custards combine one of the best duos in both sweet and savory
cooking: fresh corn and cream.
Serves 8
Ingredients:
2 medium ears fresh corn, shucked
1-quart heavy cream
3⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄4 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped out, bean and seeds reserved
2 large eggs
6 large egg yolks
Instruction:
Preheat the oven to 275°F.
Whisk together the eggs and egg yolks in a medium bowl. Discard the corncobs and pour
half of the cream mixture over the eggs; whisk together until combined. Whisk in the rest of
the cream mixture. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
Place eight 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups in a deep baking dish or roasting pan, spacing
them evenly. Divide the custard mixture among the ramekins. Cover the baking dish with
aluminum foil, leaving the front side loose, and carefully place the plate in the oven. Fill the
baking dish with warm water to reach halfway up the hands of the ramekins, then seal the
plate tightly with the foil.
Bake for 20 minutes. Then rotate the pan and let the steam out by lifting the foil cover;
replace the foil and seal it. Continue baking, lifting the foil every 15 to 20 minutes to let
the steam out and then resealing it well until the edges of the custards are set and the
centers are still slightly loose, about 1 hour (if more time is needed, check at 5-minute
intervals).
Remove the foil. Transfer the dish to a wire rack. Let the custards cool to room temperature
in the water bath. Remove from the water and refrigerate, uncovered, until set, about 1
hour.
Once set, the custards can be kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for
up to 2 days.
To get the most flavor and best sweetness from fresh corn,
purchase it locally, preferably the day it was picked, and use it as soon
as you can once you’re back from the market. Corn’s natural sugars
quickly convert to starches once the cobs have been harvested.
Combining Your Craft
Top Sweet Corn Custards with Blueberry Compote and serve with Cornmeal Shortbread
Cookies.
Result: Sweet Corn Custard
Have a good meal, and see you soon with new delicious ingredients.
Maybe you’ll like this Panna Cotta: Buttermilk Panna Cotta
