Sweet Corn and Three-Berry Ice Cream

recipe & photography: Cassie Johnston

While corn and berries might sound like a strange combo, the plump, juicy kernels are a special treat with each spoonful, and they pair beautifully with the dark crimson swirls of sweet berry sauce. Make sure to use fresh-off-thestalk local sweet corn and fresh-picked berries from the farmers’ market.

Makes about 1 quart

THREE-BERRY SWIRL

6 ounces raspberries (about 2 cups) 3 ounces blackberries (about 1 cup) 3 ounces blueberries (about ¾ cup) ½ cup sugar

SWEET CORN ICE CREAM BASE

1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch 1½ cups whole milk 4 ounces cream cheese, softened Pinch of salt 1 ear sweet corn 1¾ cups heavy cream ⅔ cup sugar

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 8–10 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and syrupy. Transfer to a bowl and place in fridge to cool. For the ice cream, whisk together cornstarch and about 2 tablespoons of the milk in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together the cream cheese and salt. Slice the kernels from the corncob into a large saucepan; discard cob. Add remainder of the milk, heavy cream and sugar to the corn kernels. Slowly heat the saucepan with the corn and milk mixture over medium-low heat until frothy, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to medium heat for 2–3 minutes, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened. Whisk the corn and milk base into the cream cheese bowl until combined. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 4 hours. Once cool, pour ice cream mixture into the canister of an ice cream machine and process as directed by the manufacturer. Once done processing, layer the ice cream with the berry sauce in a freezer-safe container. Do not stir. Freeze for 3–4 hours, or until ice cream is completely solid.