I grew up in the country, and corn was a staple in our garden and on our table. I’ve loved corn in all its’ forms ever since. Freshly cooked corn on the cob, creamed corn (my favorite rendition is my Poblano Creamed Corn recipe,) cornbread, grits, and the list goes on. But one thing I had never had was a sweet corn pie until I went to Guatemala recently. It was so delicious that I knew I had to try to imitate it. After a couple of attempts, I’m pretty happy with this version, and I hope you will be too.
Fruits and Corn Dishes in Guatemala
Let me tell you, Guatemalans are my peeps, they love corn as I do. They have atol de elote (a corn beverage,) pies, tortillas and so much more. Every bit of produce I tried was so sweet and delicious (thank you for introducing me to pepitoria!) The mangoes alone were worth a trip to the Central Market, but I was overwhelmed by the variety and perfection of the different fruits. More on all of that in a later post, as this is about corn!
I had a really nice, moist corn cake while at the central market, but for me, the highlight was a corn pie with a sweet sauce, like a thinned down sweetened condensed milk (that’s the closest I could figure out, so that’s what I went with.) It was served warm, and crustless, like a crustless custard pie, so my version is the same. You certainly could use a pie crust if desired. After I had to have a warm slice, I refrigerated the pie and loved it just as much cold as I do served warm.
Sweet Corn Pie
The pie is basically a custard pie, with corn used as a sweetener and to give it body. For this sweet corn pie, I used three average-sized ears of corn on the cob and cut the kernels off with a sharp knife. Cut them over a large round plate with a rim to help collect the “milk” from the cob. I try to not cut the corn so that the kernels are fully intact. I cut them as I would to make creamed corn. That is to say, I try to cut them so that you’re getting 80% of the kernel. Doing this leaves the bottom of the kernel on the cob. Then, using the back of the knife, go down the cut surface of the cob and scrape off the remaining milk (see, you learned a trick to make creamed corn!) Collect everything until you get about 2 cups of kernels (the rule of thumb is about 3/4 cup per cob, but that’s going to vary according to the corn varietal and the time of year. I used younger corn, so the kernels weren’t huge. Save anything remaining after you get to 2 cups for garnish. Use a food processor on the kernels (along with the milk) to form a “corn slushy” which I added to the other ingredients before baking.
I had an amazing time in Guatemala, and I plan on visiting again soon. This is a simple pie to make and I believe you’ll love it. I also want you to perhaps consider a visit to Guatemala. You’ll be glad you did.
As always, I hope you enjoy!
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Sweet Corn Pie
Description
This dessert is sweet and rich with amazing corn flavor. I based this recipe on an amazing dessert I had in Guatemala, and I plan on serving this often in the summer months when fresh corn is at its’ peak.
Ingredients
3 fresh corn cobs, kernels and milk removed.
1 and 1/3 cup 2% milk
4 large eggs (farm or organic eggs will improve the color)
1.5 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
1.5 tsp apple pie spice
For the sauce
3 TBS sweetened condensed milk
1 TBS milk
pinch salt
Pinch apple pie spice, optional
Mint leaves or whipped cream for garnish, optional
Instructions
Get a large plate with a lip before cutting corn, and cut over it to collect kernels and corn milk. Using a sharp knife, cut off the corn kernels leaving just a bit attached to the cob. After cutting from each cob, turn the knife around and scrape downwards over the cob to help release any remaining corn milk. Cut 3 cobs, then measure out 2 cups of kernels/milk. Reserve extra kernels for garnish
Place 2 cups of kernels in a blender and pulse a few times to shred up the kernels. If you like OJ with a lot of pulp, only do this a couple of time for more texture. If you like smooth OJ, puree it.
In a mixer or a bowl, add the remaining pie ingredients and whisk thoroughly. Add in corn/milk mixture and whisk to incorporate. Pour into a 9″ pie pan that has been greased or sprayed with pan release.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place pie in oven for 10 minutes, then turn down to 350 degrees. Continue to cook until middle is puffed up and pie is “set.” Remove to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
For the sauce, add condensed milk, milk, salt, and pinch of apple pie spice (optional) to a small bowl and whisk to incorporate. To serve, plate a slice of pie, then drizzle over a bit of sauce. Garnish with some remaining corn kernels and mint leaf, if desired.
