Creamy Corn Ice Cream with Caramel

Caramel corn ice cream? Yes! Sweet summer corn is puréed, strained, and cooked down into a sweet pudding before it is incorporated into the ice cream base. The caramel drizzle was an essential finishing touch.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Jesse Houston. The original recipe was “no churn” but I did churn it to expedite the freezing process.

After using a Vitamix to purée the corn and significantly increasing the cooking time, I had double the volume of corn pudding required for the ice cream. I’m planning to use it for another batch. 🙂 I may layer it with caramel or dulce de leche prior to freezing next time so that it will have a caramel swirl.

Yield: about 8 cups (2 quarts)

• 10 cups fresh yellow corn kernels (from 10-12 large ears) (reduce to 5 ears if using a Vitamix)
• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• waffle cones or waffle cups, optional
• dulce de leche or caramel sauce, optional
• caramel corn, for garnish, optional

1. Working in batches, process corn kernels in a food processor or Vitamix until very juicy, about 15 seconds. Press processed corn through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl to yield about 2 cups corn juice; discard solids. (I had significantly more corn juice.)
2. Transfer corn juice to a large skillet; bring to a simmer over medium-low, stirring constantly with a heatproof rubber spatula. Simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened to a pudding-like consistency and reduced to about 1 cup, 8 to 12 minutes. (When the spatula is dragged through the corn mixture, it will hold a line for about 2 seconds before flowing to fill the gap.) (Because I had a greater volume, I cooked my corn juice for almost 40 minutes to achieve the pudding-like consistency.)
3. Remove from heat. Press corn mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large heatproof bowl; discard any solids. Let corn mixture cool to room temperature, stirring often, about 15 minutes.
4. Beat cream, condensed milk, vanilla, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Fold into corn mixture in 2 additions. (I used 1 1/4 cups of corn pudding.)
6. If desired, churn in an ice cream machine for about 25 minutes. (not necessary but will reduce the freezing time.)
7. Pour into a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan; press a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of corn mixture.
8. Freeze until firm, at least 12 hours if not churned, or at least 4 hours if the mixture has been churned.
9. Serve scoops of sweet corn ice cream in bowls or waffle bowls/cones, drizzled with dulce de leche or caramel sauce, and garnished with caramel corn, as desired.

Note: Ice cream can be made and frozen up 2 weeks ahead.