corn Archives – sweet d

If you’re reading this, you deserve a bowl of pasta. How do I know this? It’s my job to know, just run with it. AND, because I can’t just let you have any old pasta, I’m bringing you this masterpiece today. What is it? Only the most perfect summer pasta, combining fresh corn and scallions into a silky sauce WITHOUT any cream it it. But since I’m me, I make up for the lack of cream in the sauce with a big ol’ ball of burrata on top because we all deserve it. Originally from the New York Times, there are few dishes I look forward to making more than this one. While it can be made year round with frozen corn, there’s just something about that fresh sweet corn taste that is HEAVENLY.

Basically to make this sauce, you cook together some scallion whites and corn in olive oil and a little butter, good already right? THEN, you blend that together into a thick, luxurious sauce, to which we add some whole corn kernels, red pepper flakes, scallion greens, and basil. Tossy-toss that with your short pasta of choice (I like orecchiette) and BOOM, the most perfect summer pasta.

This weekend, my family journeyed down to Washington, D.C. to visit my sister and oh my god it was hot. No offense but I’ve been dreaming of Fall since the second week of July you guys. BUT despite the heat, we spent some good old quality time together (i.e., ate a lot of food) before my brother moves to Seattle.

Before we get some happys today, I’m just going to do one more little plug for myself in case you don’t follow me on Instagram (which you totally should btw it’s a blast). If you like what you see here on Sweet D, I would love you forever if you took 2 minutes to nominate this blog for a Saveur Magazine Blog Award, found here. Simply enter the Sweet D url, check the box for Best Baking and Sweets Blog, and ta-da!!

NOW, here are 5 things to be happy about today:
ONE. Costume jewelry.
TWO. Having a burger, fries, and a beer at a summer baseball game.
THREE. 3-day weekends.
FOUR. Making a thorough packing list before a trip.
FIVE. Driving around with music playing and no destination in mind.

Let’s cook!

Print Recipe

Sweet Corn Pasta with Burrata

This fresh corn and scallion pasta is the perfect way to combine all the freshest flavors of summer, while still serving a decadent dish that just screams "Treat Yourself". Top with burrata and you are guaranteed to be the most popular dinner host.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time35 mins

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Keyword: burrata, corn, pasta, scallion

Ingredients

24 ounces short pasta, like orecchiette
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 bunches scallions (about 15); slices, keeping whites and greens separate
5 ears fresh corn (or 4 cups frozen corn); shucked and kernels removed
1 tsp black pepper
6 Tbsp butter
1 cup parmesan cheese
½ cup torn basil leaves (you could also use mint)
½ tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
Fresh lemon juice
Fresh burrata (1 or ½ ball per person)

Instructions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook your pasta for one minute less than the al dente recommendation on the box. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set the drained pasta aside.
In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add the scallion whites + a pinch of salt, cooking until the scallions are soft. Add ½ cup of the reserved pasta water plus all but ½ cup of the corn. Simmer until the corn is heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer the mixture to a blender.
Puree the sauce until completely smooth, adding more pasta water if necessary to achieve a thick but pourable sauce.
Reheat the same pan over high heat and melt the butter. Add in the reserved whole corn kernels and cook until tender. Add the corn puree back to the pan and cook for an additional minute to combine the flavors.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the pasta and the other ½ cup pasta water, tossing to coat. Stir in ½ cup of the reserved scallion greens, the cheese, basil, red pepper flakes, and lemon juice. To serve, top with more cheese and leftover scallions, and break a whole or half burrata on top. YUM!!

Looking for more summer pastas? I’ve got you covered here and here!

Okay I gotta tell you, I made this cake two weeks ago and I really haven’t stopped thinking about it. I know that to some, a corn layer cake may seem like a weird concept. In fact, my uncle told me it was the only thing I’ve ever made that he wouldn’t eat, BUT. Trust me, you’re gonna want this. Adapted from this recipe from A Cozy Kitchen (once again!), it’s light and fluffy with a hint of sweet corn and a gorgeous texture. To top it all off, the frosting uses a whole cup of blueberry jam because sweet corn and blueberry is a perfect combination.

This cake was inspired by a day trip my family took last summer to the North Fork of Long Island. It was a Saturday at the end of July, and we set off without any concrete plans and it made for the absolute best day. On a whim, we stopped at a roadside farm that was advertising “Pick Your Own Berries” and homemade ice cream. Honestly, how could anyone turn that down? After our baskets were full of blueberries and blackberries, we sat in the shade with our ice cream in the fanciest of flavors. For me, Basil, blueberry, and sweet corn were the three standouts. Even better though?When you mixed a scoop of the blueberry and a scoop of the sweet corn. The blueberry lends a sweet-tartness while the corn is rich and velvety, and I just need you to try it yourself.

My dad has made it his summer mission to create a garden in our backyard, and I could not be more excited. It’s a dream of mine to be able to stroll outside with a pair of kitchen shears and snip some herbs for my french omelet like I’m Ina Garten, so you best believe that will be happening. In addition to the herbs, he’s growing peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers to start, so who knows? Maybe our bountiful harvest will find its way into one of these recipes.

But I digress. Before we get started, here are 5 things to be happy about today:
ONE. Going on a coffee run on a misty summer morning before the heat of the day.
TWO. Porch swings.
THREE. Family recipes passed down for generations.
FOUR. Farm stands.
FIVE. An ice cold pitcher of watermelon juice that you may feel so inclined to add tequila to.

Let’s bake!

Print Recipe

Sweet Corn Layer Cake with Blueberry Jam Frosting

While it may seem like an unconventional pairing, this moist and fluffy cake has a rich, velvety sweet corn flavor that's complimented beautifully by the sweet-yet-tart blueberry jam frosting that so generously envelopes it.

Prep Time45 mins

Cook Time23 mins

Total Time1 hr 8 mins

Course: Dessert

Keyword: blueberries, cake, corn, dessert, frosting

Servings: 8 to 12 people

Ingredients

Sweet Corn Cake Ingredients

2 cups cake flour
½ cup cornmeal
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups white sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1½ cups whole milk

Blueberry Jam Frosting

2 lbs powdered sugar (2 boxes)
2 sticks butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup blueberry jam
4-5 Tbsp whole milk
1 pint blueberries, for decorating

Instructions

Sweet Corn Cake Steps

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 8-inch round cake pans, then add a circle of parchment paper to the bottom to further prevent sticking (as Ina Garten says, "what's the point of making a cake if you can't get it out of the pan?").
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and vegetable oil for about 1 minute. Add the eggs and mix until light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
With the mixer on low, add the dry and the wet ingredients alternatively, starting and ending with the dry ingredients until all are added. Mix until the batter is smooth. The batter will seem very thin but do not fret, this is correct!
Divide the batter into the two prepared cake pans. At this point, I used my cake baking strips on the outside to ensure flatter tops for stacking, so if you decide to use those as well, place your cake pans on a sheet pan to bake. Bake the cakes for 20-23 minutes, until the top is golden and a cake tester comes out clean.
Cool the cakes for 5 minutes in their pans, then flip onto a rack to cool completely before frosting.

Blueberry Jam Frosting Steps

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the powdered sugar and butter until combined. Add the vanilla and blueberry jam, mixing until the frosting is uniform in color and texture. If the frosting is too firm, add whole milk a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.

Frosting the Cake Steps

If you'd like, feel free to cut the cakes in half for a 4 layer cake, but I chose not to for this particular recipe. Place first layer on a cake board, stand, or plate and add about ¼ cup of the frosting to the top, smoothing with an offset spatula into an even layer. Repeat with remaining layers if you have 4, otherwise place the second cake on top and coat the entire cake in a thin layer (called a crumb coat) to seal. Chill for 15-30 minutes in the fridge so that the frosting is slightly firm to the touch.
Remove the cake from the fridge and coat with a second, thicker layer so that the entire cake is covered evenly. You may want to use a bench scraper or spatula to make the sides smooth and even, or use the bake of a spoon to give the frosting a more rustic, swirled design.
Top the cake with blueberries, sprigs of mint, sprinkles, whatever you feel like using to decorate, and voila! Enjoy!

For more blueberry content, look no further than here, here, and here!!