Recipe: Coconut and Corn Ice Cream: A Step-by-Step How-to

Corn is arguably the flavor of summer. It can be roasted in its husk over an open flame until the kernels blister, tossed in mayonnaise and Tajín for an elote salad, baked into a cast iron of cornbread. And it can also be the star ingredient in the most summery of desserts: ice cream.

In fact, Adrienne Borlongan, the founder and food scientist behind the popular Southern California ice cream chain Wanderlust Creamery, includes a whole chapter devoted to corn ice cream in her new cookbook, The World of Ice Cream. As the name of her scoop shops suggest, Borlongan’s flavors are inspired by travel, and function as love letters to the unique combinations and ingredients that shine in different parts of the world. In her book you’ll find recipes for honey-butter corn dalgona crafted with Korean honeycomb candy in mind, a chica morada sorbet made from Peruvian purple corn, and the cherished combination of coconut and corn that’s popular in more than one country.

“Growing up Filipino, the flavors that my elders and relatives would always talk about were cheese and corn,” Borlongan says. Corn, in the Philippines, was seen as a dessert first — typically topped with grated coconut, sugar, and a touch of salt and vended in small cups. It’s an ice cream flavor that, in the Philippines, is just as popular (if not more so) than colorful ube and buko pandan. Upon further research, Borlongan discovered that coconut and corn is a beloved combination in other parts of the world too, including Nigeria, Brazil, and neighboring Southeast Asian countries. The sweet, nutty pairing is adored across the globe — except in the States. But Borlongan wants to change that using ice cream as her medium.

“People think we’re weird for putting beans and corn in desserts,” she says, recounting a story about a professional ice cream-making Facebook group she was involved in that shunned and mocked the idea of corn-flavored ice cream. “That’s why there needed to be a whole chapter on corn ice cream,” she adds. “It’s a big thing — especially outside of the U.S.”

Borlongan’s coconut and corn ice cream begins with a silky coconut cream base. The corn flavor is added through a buttery corn jam that can be made in advance and is swirled throughout the ice cream, giving it sunshine-like streaks of yellow throughout.

Although ice cream seems like an intimidating endeavor to try at home, Borlongan has tips to ensure success. “Ice cream is a science,” she says. “It’s not like cooking; it’s more like baking. Every ingredient plays a different role.” To strike the perfect balance of ingredients, which is what creates small ice crystals that ensure a smooth mouthfeel, Borlongan suggests using an online ice cream calculator, which determines the ratio of fat, sugar, and water each recipe should have. She also encourages patience and to have fun — after all, who can get frustrated by something as playful as corn ice cream?

Coconut & Corn Ice Cream Recipe

(Makes about 1 quart)

Ingredients:

For the base:

¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
1¼ cups + 2½ tablespoons (200 grams) glucose powder or ¾ cup + 3 tablespoons (300 grams) tapioca or corn syrup
⅛ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon (2 grams) dairy free stabilizer (optional – see note)
1⅓ cups (325 grams) water
2 cups (426 grams) coconut cream
6 tablespoons (80 grams) virgin coconut oil

For the corn jam:

2 tablespoons (30 grams) butter
6 tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar
¼ cup + ¾ teaspoons (40 grams) glucose or 3 tablespoons (60 grams) tapioca or corn syrup
1¼ cups (6 ounces/175 grams) cooked corn kernels

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare an ice bath of your choice.

Step 2: Make the base: In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a tall mixing vessel, blend the water and half of the coconut cream with a hand blender. Slowly add the dry ingredients while blending; blend thoroughly to dissolve all the solids.

Step 3: Pour the mixture into a medium saucepan and cook on medium-low heat, whisking constantly until it reaches 165 degrees.

Step 4: Once the base reaches 165 degrees on an instant thermometer, immediately remove from the heat and pour it back into the tall mixing vessel. Add in the remaining coconut cream and coconut oil, and blend with a hand blender for two minutes to fully homogenize.

Step 5: Transfer the base into the prepared ice bath to cool. Once completely cool, pour through a fine-mesh strainer into an airtight container. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.

Step 6: Make the corn jam: In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the sugar and glucose. Pour the mixture into a countertop blender along with the corn, and process until completely smooth. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated until ready to use, for up to 3 days. This makes about 1 cup.

Step 7: Make the ice cream: Once the ice cream base is completely chilled, place a loaf pan and corn jam in the freezer to chill. Quickly blend the ice cream base once more with a hand blender or whisk before pouring it into an ice cream machine. Process the base according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Step 8: Churn the ice cream until it reaches the texture of very stiff soft-serve and the surface begins to look dry (about 25 degrees with a thermometer gun).

Step 9: Transfer half the ice cream to the chilled loaf pan, then top with half of the corn variegate. Repeat the layer process once more. Immediately place the ice cream into the freezer for 15 minutes to allow it to firm up.

Step 10: Using a spatula, gently fold the ice cream to create swirls of corn throughout; three or four folds should be sufficient.

Step 11: Press a piece of wax paper directly on top of the ice cream and freeze for at least 3 hours before serving.

Note:

Nondairy Stabilizer
Makes 110 grams (enough to stabilize 36 recipes)

This synergistic blend of emulsifiers and stabilizers gives ice cream recipes made with nondairy milk alternatives (like coconut cream, rice milk, or pea milk) a rich texture and smooth meltdown, but with a clean finish. All of the ingredients can be found in baking supply stores and online.

Recommended dosage: 0.025% to 0.04% (by weight) of total recipe.

½ cup (36 grams) soy lecithin
3 tablespoons (36 grams) tara gum
1 tablespoon + 2½ teaspoons (18 grams) guar gum (optional)
1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon (9 grams) lambda carrageenan
1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon (10 grams) glucose powder

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container in a cool and dry place. Mix well before each use.

From The World of Ice Cream by Adrienne Borlongan. Copyright © 2024 by Adrienne Borlongan. Excerpted by permission of Abrams. All rights reserved. Photographs by Max Milla, copyright © 2024.