- I’ve been eating a lot of sweet corn lately (mostly grilled), but there are many other applications for fresh sweet corn. One tempting idea for Sweet Corn Creme Brulee comes from Lulu’s Sweet Secrets. Fresh corn is cut off the cob and infused into a mixture of cream and milk that makes up the base of the creme brulees. The pureed corn is strained out before eggs are added and the custard is completed, leaving a very sweet, summery flavor behind. After being baked in a water bath, the custards are topped off with sugar that is caramelized into a crunchy topping before serving.
- Another idea for fresh corn comes from Closet Cooking. The Fresh Corn Pancakes are a twist on standard pancakes that you might make for breakfast, with some cornmeal added to the batter and a good amount of corn sliced right off the cob. The resulting pancakes have a hint of sweet cornbread flavor, but can be easily turned into a sweet or savory dish when serving. Top them with butter and maple syrup for breakfast, or add some cheese to the batter and serve them with a fresh salsa for a light lunch or dinner. A few bits of crisp, chopped bacon would make a welcome addition to both sweet and savory versions, too!
- The Savory Vegetable Tart that Eat Your Vegetables or You Don’t Get Dessert wrote about is a little bit time consuming, with its tender olive oil crust and filling that is rich with tomatoes, garlic, onions, white beans and spinach. The vegetable filling is held together with eggs and a little cream, and topped off with a sprinkling of cheese for a slightly salty finish before being enclosed in pastry. Fortunately, the tart is well worth the effort. It packs a ton of flavor and makes a hearty, vegetarian dish for both summer and fall dinners. Oh – and the tart freezes well, so if you’re planning to make one, make two instead and freeze one for next time.
- Figs are in season right now and Desserts For Breakfast‘s Fig, Mascarpone and Pistachio Tart is a great way to showcase them. The beautiful tart is much easier to make than it looks, because the creamy filling does not have to be baked and the tart is completed with the natural sweetness fresh, ripe figs, a few raspberries and a bit of honey. The buttery crust has ground pistachios in it that give it extra flavor and a bit of crunch. The mascarpone base would pair well with other fruits, too, such as berries, peaches and plums, if you want to play with fruits besides figs.
- Until you’ve had zucchini in a cake, you don’t realize how well the moist and relatively flavorless vegetable works in breads and cakes. But try a slice of a freshly baked Chocolate Zucchini Cake, like this one from Zoe Bakes, and you’ll probably be a convert. The cake is moist and tender, with a chocolate flavor that is rich and intense – without so much as a hint of zucchini coming out in the finished product. The zucchini is what helps the cake stay so moist and, since it’s a vegetable, it can help you justify indulging an extra slice or two when it comes time to serve it.
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