Blueberry Sorbet, Buttermilk and Sweet Corn Ice Creams and Carmelized Corn Flakes

 This is the Best Dessert of Summer 2011, hands down. And there are a few people who had something to say about how it came together.

Admittedly, my favorite food blogger, Tim Mazurek, at my favorite Lottie + Doof tossed me a few bones. His recent post about "weird" sweet corn ice cream was a gift. Claudia Fleming's Sweet Corn Ice Cream was already on my list of things-to-make-if-I-could-only-afford-her-beautiful-out-of-print-cookbook (at last check, a signed first edition is $475 on e-Bay.) Tim figured it out, and pushed my lazy bones going.

Next, Tim posted about a lovely blueberry galette. We had already galetted ourselves out around here so I didn't want to go quite that direction, but his cornmeal pastry dough contains a good splash of buttermilk, which also got me thinking...

All of Tim's flavors sounded exciting and summery together, but I wanted to give them my own twist. So I made this blueberry sorbet, Tim's sweet corn ice cream, and continued to experiment with my smooth invert sugar no-cook base for the buttermilk ice cream as follows:

Sticks Forks Fingers Buttermilk Ice Cream

2 cups cold buttermilk
1 pint cold whipping cream
1 cup granulated sugar
scant 1/4 cup light corn syrup
pinch salt

Stir buttermilk, sugar, corn syrup and salt together in large mixing bowl. Let sit until sugar is completely dissolved, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Stir in cold cream until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Freeze according to ice-cream maker directions. Makes one generous quart.

The crowning glory is the caramelized corn-flake crunchies on top. There is just no good way to describe the goodness of those buttery caramel-y crunchies and how they crown these flavors so beautifully. I adapted the recipe from The New York Times:

Caramelized Corn Flakes
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon dried buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup corn flakes

Melt butter in small microwavable bowl for about 30 seconds. Stir until butter is completely melted. Add buttermilk powder, sugar and salt. Stir until thoroughly combined. Pour cornflakes on top, and with bottom of measuring cup, smash down on them a few times to crush into medium sized bits. Stir until flakes are evenly coated.

In a small parchment lined baking sheet (a toaster oven is perfect for this) dump mixture and spread flat. Bake at 250-270 degrees until well browned and bubbly (caramelized), about 20 minutes. Watch carefully at the end not to burn. Allow to cool completely, then break up into bits and sprinkle over ice cream.

You want this dessert. You really do. Hurry. Before summer is over and it's too late and you have to file it away for next year. Hurry.