What makes it work?
Corn custard has the luscious mouth feel of creme Brule, thanks to a similar cooking method of baking in a water bath. We’ll get to that part in a bit. But let’s talk about the delicious flavor and texture. It is silky and creamy, made with real, fresh shucked corn, cream, eggs and egg yolks combined with a bit of parmesan and finely diced onions for just the right amount of background flavor to compliment the corn.
When I thought of this dish I thought of my kids. I wanted to come up with something new for our holiday menu that they would love, and, like a lot of teenage kids, they can be picky. If I get too ‘gourmet’ on them, it can go either way. So, I started with what dishes they both love: creme Brule, corn on the cob, and macaroni and cheese. And personally, if I’m going to make a homemade macaroni and cheese, I want that layer of crunchy breadcrumbs on top to give some texture to the soft, gooey layers underneath. And through all that, this dish was born. Corn custard with a prosciutto breadcrumb topping.
Corn Custard versus the competition:
There’s a lot of variations of corn dishes out there so what makes a custard different than the rest? It’s that creamy custard base made with egg, egg yolks and milk. Also, there isn’t any cornmeal or flour in the dish. Just fresh corn. The custardy texture is achieved by using the richer yolks of the egg as the base and then cooking in a water bath.
I do love the competition, too, don’t get me wrong. And if I’m having a big bowl of chili on a cold Fall night then corn bread is just the right thing. Yet, when it comes to my holiday table and I’m looking for a dish that can stand out on its own, this Corn Custard is it. But let’s take a closer look at some of those other great options.
Corn Bread
A good cornbread is not dense and dry but is primarily a bread-like consistency. Look for recipes that use both flour and cornmeal in equal parts to get that balance. You can add kinds of things to cornbread as blank canvas, which is one reason I love it. Jalapenos, bacon and cheddar are popular route. Or honey for a sweeter variation and then top with warm butter and a spiced honey. Here’s a good basic recipe that used real butter and buttermilk which will give you both the rich buttery flavor and hint of tang. The buttermilk helps keep it moist. Use day old or oven dried cornbread in your stuffing recipe instead of rustic white bread for a nice variation.
The other way I like to make cornbread is in a skillet. It just looks cool served like this.
Corn Pudding
This one is really close to a corn custard except it usually has some flour or cornmeal added to it and it has less of a custardy texture and more of a creamed corn aspect to it. The corn custard version uses those egg yolks and the water bath method, whereas a corn pudding is typically just baked on an oven rack (without the water bath). Here’s a link to Ina Garten’s recipe for corn pudding and I’m sure it’s delicious.
Corn Fritters
This variation is the least like the Corn Custard, but man does it have a place in my heart. I love how you can get the batter kind of thin and crispy, and then just listen to those corn kernels sizzle on a hot skillet. This version, for me anyway, is perfect for a casual barbeque side dish or even on its own topped with shredded chicken. They also make great appetizers for larger party. I think of corn fritters more like a cousin to the hush puppy or fried dough balls made with flour and cornmeal. Same holds true as for cornbread in that it’s all about what you add to the fritter to make it extra special and get the right consistency on the batter. Also, not too hot on the griddle or they burn instead of achieving those nice golden, brown edges we all love.
How to Make Corn Custard:
So now that we know all about the competition let’s get down to the details on how you make this winning holiday dish, Corn Custard. Here’s the ingredients and step by step. I highly recommend using whole milk and heavy cream for the fat content that is part of the overall silky texture. Also, you can sauté the onion and corn ahead of time if you want to break this down a bit for time’s sake. And you can assemble and bake ahead of time and then gently reheat on 200 before serving. Just don’t add that crunchy topping until the end.
Corn Custard Ingredients:
- 4 ears of corn (approx. 2 ¼ cups fresh corn)
- ½ cup yellow onion, finely minced
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 yolks
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 1 tsp salt, divided
- ½ tsp pepper, divided
Breadcrumb Prosciutto Topping
- Fresh breadcrumbs (day old bread pulsed in food processor) *rosemary or herbed is good or just plain
- 3 slices Prosciutto
- 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
- 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
Yields: 6 servings
Corn Custard Method:
- Remove kernels from cob.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add in the butter. Once just melted add the onions and corn and season with ½ tsp salt an ¼ tsp pepper. Sauté for 5 minutes. Corn should still be al dente, not fully cooked. This step can be done ahead
- Preheat oven to 350. Combine egg yolks, eggs, milk and heavy cream in a medium bowl and season with remaining ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Whisk to combine and then add in the grated parmesan cheese.
- Grease oval baking dish with a little butter and place that dish inside a larger dish. Add water in the larger dish until it’s almost halfway up the dish for the corn custard.
- Add onion and corn mixture to oval dish. Pour egg/milk mixture over and gently stir, if needed.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until the custard is just set. Remove from oven and then carefully remove baking dish from water bath to a cooling rack to stop the cooking process. Let cool.
- While the corn custard is cooking prepare the breadcrumb topping below.
Breadcrumb Prosciutto Topping
- Heat skillet over medium low heat. Add olive oil and then prosciutto and cook until just crisp. Remove prosciutto and set aside until cool and then crumble. Add a little more olive oil to the skillet, if needed, and the breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring often, until golden brown.
- Remove from skillet into a bowl and toss in the crumbled prosciutto and chopped parsley.
Assembly
- When ready to serve add the breadcrumb topping to the corn custard and place under the broiler for just a few seconds to get it warm (watch carefully).
Tools
- Cutting board
- Chef’s knife
- Cheese grater
- Oval baking dish
- Larger baking dish
- Whisk
- Medium bowl
- Skillet
- Wooden spoon
- Rubber spatula
- Mini food processor
- Cooling rack
Presentation:
There really isn’t a whole lot to do you in terms of presentation for this dish since it’s essential served up in the baking dish. So, the baking dish itself is where you have some opportunity to be creative and festive. For this recipe I used a 9.5-inch oval baking dish like the one below. There is a link where you can purchase a similar type.
You could also use a white dish or something more fun like the cute pumpkin baking dish. Just be sure whatever you pick is oven safe and can fit inside a larger baking dish for the water bath part.
And for tableware I really like this Fall themed dinner plate and twig serving fork. Likewise, a plain white dinner plate works well, too, because it shows off the food but with a big holiday meal where everything is self-serve and ends up on the same plate the white plate presentation matters less.
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