Sous Vide Sweet Corn Gelato

Creamy, decadent, fuss-free and foolproof Sous Vide Sweet Corn Gelato made two ways to satisfy your sweet or savory tooth!

Last weekend I shared the making of this Sous Vide Sweet Corn Gelato on my instastories. I realize it's a bit early - the best local corn isn't available until late summer - but, anything to help shake off the winter blues.

I made the initial batch back in 2017, and yes, you guessed it... yada-yada-yada 2019. The long gap is sometimes due to lack of time, forgetfulness, but mostly multiple remakes to try to bring you the best versions of what I/we make. Plus, I needed to make a bunch of variations and ensure quality control, cause that's just how we do! 😉

Cob or Canned?

You will notice the first batch was made back in September of 2017, when local corn was in abundance and bursting with flavour. You can find corn on the cob in stores pretty much year-round here, but using freshly picked, in-season, locally grown corn is such a treat.

I would not recommend using canned corn as a first choice, however - they are usually packed in a salt water solution. Although, I guess if you are in a pinch, you could rinse them... Frozen corn might work, as well, but I have not tried it, so can't confidently speak to it.

Let's just agree fresh, sweet corn is best! Even better if you can get it at a pick-your-own farm near you. Corn is at its optimal flavour and texture the day it is picked. The longer it sits around, the naturally occurring sugars turn to starch, which negatively impacts the flavour and texture.

Plain or Paired?

The choice is yours! The sweet corn flavour really takes centre stage when made solo - scoops of creamy, fresh, not too sweet, soft yellow delight. The Dude really loves the sweet corn solo. I like variety, I get bored otherwise, so I tried a number of combos - some great, others require a little more finessing.

So, I made a large batch and separated it out to create:

• Sweet Corn - with a touch of vanilla. For a more pronounced corn flavour, I blended the corn/milk/cream/sugar/salt mixture after simmering, then strained it before adding the yolks. A favourite for all who tried.
• Sweet Corn and Lime - the lime zest adds a refreshing touch, but I like to add the lime zest after churning, so it doesn't clump. If you can get your hands on kaffir lime or yuzu you will be pleasantly pleased with the end result. The lime, salt and corn reminded me of Mexican street corn, so I tried...
• Mexican Street Corn - shown in one of the photos, but still a work in progress that I hope to share with you soon.
• I love corn salads with dark berries, especially blackberries. I did not have any on hand, so I used wild blueberries and added a little lime zest.
• Also played around with cream cheese, fromage blanc, mascarpone and creme fraiche.

Fool-Proof Ice Cream Base

Sous Vide is great for a number of savoury applications, but it is my go-to for making creme anglaise based desserts and dishes. My eggs never overcook or curdle, yielding the most silky, decadent results that may not always be the case when done stove-top.

The ability to walk away and not stand eagle-eyed and stirring, and not have your precious custard clump up is a dream. I am not saying stovetop sucks, I have had may success preparing ice cream bases stovetop. With sous vide, I am not as stressed.

Also, the flavours and aromas of your ingredients aren't going up in steam, but are trapped in the bag where the fats cling to them and keep them deliciously safe and snuggled.

Tips For Sous Vide Gelato Success

• Start with fresh ingredients - there aren't a lot of ingredients in this recipe, so the quality, or lack thereof, will tell the final taste.
• Use sous vide safe bags - I talked a bit about it here.
• Combine the ingredients before bagging for best results - whisk by hand or in a blender just until combined. I have found whisking by hand produces far less foam than blending. In either case, however, spoon off the foam. It's a real pain in the ass trying to do the water displacement with a bag filled with foam.
• To agitate or not - when I add the ingredients in the bag without whisking or blending, I agitate the bag a couple times throughout the cook. I have found there is no real need to do so if the mixture is whisked or blended prior. Adds to the whole set it and forget it approach that I like about sous vide.
• Ice, ice, baby - be sure to prepare a water bath close to the end of the cook, and immediately submerge the custard and leave to cool completely.

I hope you will give this Sous Vide Sweet Corn Gelato a try when the weather warms up and sweet local corn is plentiful. Tag me on Instagram @sousvidesista or @isugarcoatit.