One of the many reasons I love sweet corn is because it's the only time it's socially acceptable to buy food from the back of a stranger's truck.

In fact, when I was growing up I don't think my mom ever bought sweet corn from a store. It was always from one of the many makeshift corn stands (i.e. parked vehicles) on one of the many dirt roads on the way to or from our cabin. 

I grew up eating sweet corn at least once a week in the summer, but had never tried a sweet corn dessert until about 2012, when Ashlee Olds of Sweet Science Ice Cream let me taste (and then subsequently demolish an entire pint of) her blueberry-sweet corn ice cream.

An ice cream genius, that Ashlee. She paved the way for these creamy popsicles.

Anyway, if you've never tried sweet corn in dessert form, you are going to want to get on this train ASAP. These homemade ice pops are so, so creamy. The subtle sweetness from the corn really shines on its own, but you could also add a touch of cinnamon, brown butter or some blueberry compote— or you could go in the opposite direction entirely and mess around with lime and chili powder for a Mexican elote-inspired pop.

Just like Midwestern cornfields, the possibilities are endless.

Sweet Corn Popsicles

gluten-free | makes 10 pops using this mold

Ingredients

• 3 cups sweet corn, cut off the cob (about 4 cobs)
• 3 cups half-and-half
• 1/3 cup sugar
• a pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 °F.
2. Roast corn on a lined baking sheet for about 15-20 minutes. It's alright if it gets a little toasty.
3. Remove it from the oven and purée it in a food processor.
4. In a sauce pan, combine the half-and-half, corn purée and sugar and bring to a low simmer for about 5-8 minutes. Stir regularly and do not let it boil.
5. Remove from heat and let it steep, covered for 20 minutes.
6. Pour the liquid through a mesh strainer to remove the corn pulp.
7. Stir a pinch of salt into the liquid (to taste) and let it cool before assembling your pops. You can also refrigerate the mixture until you are ready.
8. To assemble the pops, carefully pour this liquid gold into ice pop mold.
9. Freeze for 8+ hours or until solid (overnight is best).

This post and recipe was originally published (by me) on The Midwestival in 2016.