Sweet Corn Panna Cotta with Mixed Berry Compote

Late August corn is sweet enough to be dessert, so we made it one. This recipe came off a menu card from the chef agent on this site, and we've cooked it twice now. My older daughter made both rounds with me, and the berry compote is mainly her work.

I love cooking with the season, and right now the season is corn. Here the kernels steep in cream, the whole pot gets blended smooth and strained, and the ramekins set soft in the fridge.

Make the base the night before. It needs at least 4 to 6 hours to set, and the compote comes together while you wait.

Both times we finished the plates with herbs from the garden. The first round got basil, lemon thyme, and mint. The second was chopped mint alone, and mint alone is enough.

Ingredients

The Panna Cotta

• 2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels (from 2 to 3 ears)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin powder
• 3 tablespoons cold water

The Compote

• 1 1/2 cups mixed berries, fresh or frozen (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

To Finish

• Fresh mint, chopped (basil and lemon thyme are good here too)

The Cook

Steep the Corn

Combine the corn kernels, cream, milk, the 1/2 cup of sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring now and then. When small bubbles show at the edges, drop the heat to low and let it steep for 10 minutes so the corn flavor moves into the cream.

Bloom the Gelatin

While the cream steeps, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water in a small bowl. Stir once and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until it swells. Bloomed gelatin dissolves smoothly; dry gelatin thrown into hot liquid turns into lumps.

Blend and Strain

Pull the corn cream off the heat and blend it until the kernels are completely pureed, either in a blender or with an immersion blender right in the pot. Pour it through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl, pressing on the solids to get every bit of liquid out, and discard what's left in the sieve.

Return the strained cream to the saucepan over low heat. Add the bloomed gelatin and stir until it dissolves completely, 1 to 2 minutes. Don't let it boil.

Set

Divide the mixture among 4 ramekins. Cool to room temperature, cover lightly with plastic wrap, and chill at least 4 to 6 hours, preferably overnight, until set.

The Compote

Combine the berries, the 1/4 cup of sugar, and the lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 12 minutes, until the berries break down and the sauce thickens slightly. Taste for sugar. Cool completely; it thickens more as it cools.

Unmold and Serve

Dip the bottom of each ramekin in warm water for a few seconds and invert onto a plate. The layer at the bottom of the ramekin stays creamier than the rest, and when the panna cotta releases, it pours out and pools around the base. Let it. That loose ring of corn cream sauces the plate for you.

Spoon the compote over the top and scatter the chopped mint across everything.