Give Your Crème Brulée A Fall Upgrade With An Easy Veggie Addition

The autumn season brings about a delicious combination of sweet and savory flavors. With a bevy of pumpkin-laden desserts fit for sharing and a delightful array of herb-infused and buttery fall recipes, there's no shortage of warm and comforting dishes to enjoy. The beauty of a good dessert is in the interplay of textures and temperatures, which can be found in any classic crème brulée recipe. If you want to kick up your next crème brulée to a whole new level, the unexpected addition of corn might seem like a shucking –- shocking? – -choice, but it's actually quite the sweet surprise.

Arguably, corn is having its moment. It's so much more than just a savory snack by way of barbecue grilling. With so many corn recipes to choose from, using corn in a dessert isn't that much of a stretch. Adding corn to crème brulée creates sort of a cross between creamed corn and corn pudding with all the sweetness of burnt sugar on top. Taking inspiration from Burritt Room + Tavern's Sweet Corn Crème Brulee recipe, you can start by using fresh corn on the cob. For a more streamlined take, try using canned corn for this sweet dessert.

To make a proper crème brulée, it's necessary to have the right tools. You'll want a reliable brulée torch such as a TBTEEK Butane Torch from Amazon, quality ramekins, eggs, heavy cream and milk, sweet corn, and of course, granulated sugar. Beyond that, it's simply a matter of carefully combining the ingredients, baking, and torching the sugar on top. When using corn in your mixture, you'll want to use an immersion blender to get your custard to a smooth consistency prior to baking.

You can get creative with hints of vanilla extract to add a little more depth of flavor to the overall dessert or by adding unique garnishes on top. For example, topping the torched sugar with a sprinkle of torched kernels and brown sugar would make a great extra addition of crunch and texture. Further, a drizzle of maple syrup on the top will make a wonderful finishing touch. Any way you choose to add corn to your next crème brulée will have everyone wanting more.