Village Corn Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups milk
2 ears sweet corn, shucked, kernels reserved, cobs chopped into 1-inch hunks
1/2 vanilla bean or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 egg yolks
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar

Preparing the ice cream:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream, milk, corn cobs, and vanilla bean (if using vanilla extract, add later). Bring to a simmer. Stir to dissolve sugar. Gently cook for 10 minutes. Remove corn cobs with a slotted spoon.
Whisk the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar together in a bowl until pale yellow. Slowly whisk in the hot cream mixture. Whisk until well combined and smooth. Return the mixture to the saucepan and stir over low heat for 1 minute, until it coats the back of a spoon. Strain the custard through a fine sieve. Stir in the vanilla extract, if using.

In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar and the corn kernels to a simmer, cooking until kernels are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the corn mixtureto the custard. Allow it to cool in a bowl with a piece of plastic wrap against the top to prevent a skin from forming. When cool, process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's directions.

Makes 1 quart