Sweet Corn Custard with Bourbon Anglaise

[MashBill]

Sweet Corn Custard with Bourbon Anglaise

Makes 8 servings

For the custard:

3 cups whole milk

2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels

4 large eggs

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the sauce:

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons sugar

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup bourbon

Ground cinnamon, optional

Heat oven to 325 degrees and butter 8 heatproof ramekins with 8-ounce capacity.

Make the custard. Bring milk to a simmer in a saucepan, add the corn kernels, cover, remove from heat and let sit 10 minutes. Put the mixture in a blender and puree as smooth as possible. Set aside.

With a whisk or electric beater, beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and gradually stir in about a cup of the corn puree. Return the mixture to the blender and blend again to liquefy corn skins. Taste and add sugar, if necessary.

Place the buttered ramekins in a baking pan. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher, then pour it into the ramekins. Set the pan on the top rack of the heated oven. Carefully pour boiling water into the pan to a depth of about 1 inch. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until the custards are set. A knife inserted near the middle should come out clean. Remove the ramekins from the pan and let them cool. Chill them in the refrigerator until ready to un-mold.

To make the sauce, bring the milk and sugar to simmer in a saucepan over medium heat.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with a whisk or electric mixer until light. Then slowly add the hot milk, stirring all the while. Pour the mixture in the saucepan and stir over low heat until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the bourbon. Chill.

When ready to serve, pour some sauce in the middle of each plate, un-mold a ramekin on top of the sauce and, if desired, sprinkle the top of the custard with a little cinnamon.

Bill

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