Popcorn Ice Cream- tastes like actual popcorn or sweet buttery corn.

Popcorn Ice Cream
One of my top ten favorite chefs in the world is Chef Srijith Gopithinan, who as of the creation of this recipe (summer 2015) is Executive Chef at Michelin starred Campton Place of the Taj Hotel in San Francisco. Several years ago I was fortunate enough to have attended a dinner at Campton Place where I first came across Chef Sri’s outstanding food. At that dinner, he sent out his “Popcorn Ice Cream” as a palate cleanser. Admittedly, I was skeptical as to whether I would enjoy this concoction. Yes, I like popcorn and yes, I enjoy ice cream, but the two together sounded a little odd. I ended up falling in love with his Popcorn Ice Cream, its sweet and savory notes a perfect balance to the clearly present corn flavor. I am not a fan of nauseatingly sweet desserts so this was the perfect intermission for one of the best meals I’ve ever had. This Popcorn Ice Cream is inspired by Chef Sri, an homage to the man’s creative brilliance. This will be a hit with adults and kids alike.

Makes about 6 cups

Ingredients
3 cups fresh corn kernels
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
3/4 cup condensed milk
2 cups whole cream

Method

In a medium sized pan, melt the butter on medium high heat. Sauté the corn kernels in the butter for about 4 minutes. Add the salt and sauté for another 1 minute.

Remove from heat and place the cooked corn kernels in a large heat-proof container where it can cool to room temperature. Stir the corn occasionally to speed up the cooling process. After about 10 minutes, place the corn in the freezer to cool down for another 15 minutes.

In a small pot, heat the whole milk and condensed milk on medium heat, stirring constantly until thoroughly combined. . Do not allow the milk to boil. Remove from heat and cool to just warm. Stirring the milk will help cool it down faster.

Place the cooled down milk in a blender, along with the cooled corn and the 2 cups of whole cream. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow manufacturer’s instructions.