The Supreme eG Pastry and Baking Challenge (Round 7)

[K8memphis]

OK, without further adieu, the next challenger is Cheryl, aka Sweetside. Her 'secret ingredient' is a wide open one. Dessert containing five kernels of CORN.

It's almost Thanksgiving and I love that story. It's wide open--however you want to interpret it, Cheryl.

Cheryl is a graduate of culinary school and is employed in the field in a bakery I believe but more importantly she is my cake-buddy.

I know she'll do a great job.

"ALLEZ CUISINE!!!"

Is that what Chairman Kaga yells before they start cookin'??? That's probably not how it's spelled, but anyhow, viola.

!!!!!GO, CHERYL!!!!!

Edited April 26, 2018 by Smithy
Adjusted title to show sequence (log)

[SweetSide]

OK, without further adieu, the next challenger is Cheryl, aka Sweetside. Her 'secret ingredient' is a wide open one. Dessert containing five kernels of CORN.

It's almost Thanksgiving and I love that story. It's wide open--however you want to interpret it, Cheryl.

Cheryl is a graduate of culinary school and is employed in the field in a bakery I believe but more importantly she is my cake-buddy.

I know she'll do a great job.

"ALLEZ CUISINE!!!"

Is that what Chairman Kaga yells before they start cookin'??? That's probably not how it's spelled, but anyhow, viola.

!!!!!GO, CHERYL!!!!!

←

Accepted with vigor -- this has excellent room for interpretation well beyond using the actual corn in the dessert, and as you said, so very appropriate for Thanksgiving!

K8, I don't believe you know this about me, the the story of the Pilgrims is as pertinent to me as Southern Tea was for you. I am also into genealogy, and on my mother's side I am descended from Francis Cooke of the Mayflower. So, if your corn story is true my family sat at that table all those years ago sharing that corn.

There is no way I can do the five kernels of corn as anything but how they are represented in the story:

Autumn beauty

Love for each other

Family's love

Indian brothers

Freedom

Let your thoughts roll!

[Kerry Beal]

A little shot glass of sweet corn chowder or corn brulee come to mind.

Great challenge Kate!

[gfron1]

Outstanding challenge and choice of challengees. Being a skeptic I looked up "five kernels of corn" on snopes.com assuming it would be a myth, but the idea of a myth had no support - so it might be factual. And then to have a descendent of the Mayflower doing the prep...fantastic!

I like the idea of interpretations beyond corn, but to make a GOOD corn dessert would be a challenge in itself. Corn is starchy when fresh, gritty when dried, neither of which is a good quality in, my opinion, for a dessert. I have had, however, a great sweet corn ice cream (Palapa Azul), and am immediately thinking of corn flan.

Anyway, have fun, and for those of you around the world...allow us Americans to indulge in a bit of folly. When a non-North American gets picked next you can teach us a bit about your holidays, traditions and customs. In the meantime, open that can of cranberry sauce/glop!

(BTW, its nice to know the gender of our challengee...unless Cheryl is a man )

Edited November 7, 2006 by gfron1 (log)

[jackal10]

Corn can be sweet, and is a precusor for corn syrup.

Maybe 5 corn based dishes:

Popcorn (e.g. butterscotch)

Corn pancakes with thyme honey or corn souffle

Corn pudding/Indian pudding

Sweet polenta/grits/creamed corn

Corn flakes/chocolate clusters

with corn liquor...

[miladyinsanity]

There's a Chinese dessert soup that uses corn. I can dig out a recipe if you want it, Cheryl.

[K8memphis]

I cannot believe you had people there that day in that time. And that you know about it!!! How cool is that?! Wow I was stunned when I read that.

I think of Indian Corn--modeled out of candy clay and/or some sugar doughs. In fact the combo I made the other day of gum paste, candy clay and fondant would be perfect corn.

Corn fritters

Jonathan, aka Chef-boy, made this delicious beggar's purse out of deep fried phyllo dough filled first with marscapone and fresh corn right off the cob--to die for--the heat of the oil melts the cheese---would just need some sweetening or a nice sauce of some kind. I wonder what a pinch of mace would do to brighten that into a dessert. Ooh oooh you could sugar in between the phyllo leaves~~Anyway--just an idea to spark another maybe...

Corn pudding

Polenta something?? I mean I can't even stand a bowl of sweet oatmeal, nix on the rice pudding, but it's a thought.

Corn husks, some kind of tamale something or other

Candy corn candy corn

Don't forget popcorn...popcorn cakes

!!!!Go Cheryl Go Cheryl!!!

Edited November 7, 2006 by K8memphis (log)

[JeanneCake]

Could it possibly work as a marshmallow?

Maybe a toasted corn marshmallow? Go for five different textures of corn in dessert perhaps?

(I'm fascinated lately with the marshmallow recipe so now everything looks like a marshmallow....)

[reenicake]

Oooh, yellow, white, red, blue corn. Popcorn, caramel corn. Things with cornstarch like pastry cream or cream pie fillings, or puddings. Cornflakes, corn puffs. Hominy, masa, posole.

My favorite is grilled corn, cooked right next to the field before the sugar turns to starch. Mmm.

Just right for the holiday!

BTW, in line with the non-Americanness post, there is a delicious traditional filipino-spanish dessert called Maja Blanca that is a coconut cornstarch pudding with corn kernels.

[SweetSide]

There's a Chinese dessert soup that uses corn. I can dig out a recipe if you want it, Cheryl.

←

Yes, please! I've not come up with any definitive things that I'll be doing yet, but that sounds like a good complement to many.

[Shalmanese]

So wait, you're going to do 5 corn desserts which ALSO reflect the 5 themes right?

[SweetSide]

Outstanding challenge and choice of challengees.  Being a skeptic I looked up "five kernels of corn" on snopes.com assuming it would be a myth, but the idea of a myth had no support - so it might be factual.  And then to have a descendent of the Mayflower doing the prep...fantastic! 

I like the idea of interpretations beyond corn, but to make a GOOD corn dessert would be a challenge in itself.  Corn is starchy when fresh, gritty when dried, neither of which is a good quality in, my opinion, for a dessert.  I have had, however, a great sweet corn ice cream (Palapa Azul), and am immediately thinking of corn flan.

Anyway, have fun, and for those of you around the world...allow us Americans to indulge in a bit of folly.  When a non-North American gets picked next you can teach us a bit about your holidays, traditions and customs.  In the meantime, open that can of cranberry sauce/glop!

(BTW, its nice to know the gender of our challengee...unless Cheryl is a man )

←

Just driving home, I was thinking of the corn ice cream. Never had it, but I've had other "different" flavors, so corn certainly didn't fall out of the realm.

And, yes, the last time I checked, I am a female...

[SweetSide]

In true eG form, you guys have been most helpful in sparking my imagination.

So far, I am leaning toward 5 corn components -- may not be five individual desserts, but 5 different corn forms, each representing the kernels.

Self imposed is that I also want it to invoke in your mind the feeling of New England and fall. Having lived here for more than half my life, the autumn is why I stay.

I'm really digging the corn ice cream and the corn soup (thanks milady). Indian pudding can't be forgotten either. Coming to mind also is cranberries and pears and pumpkin.

Everyone thinks popcorn when they think Native Americans, but a little trivia is that the Pilgrims did not yet have popcorn. I'm leaning away from that unless I can think of something out of the ordinary to do with it.

Definitely cranberries for some color somewhere...

K8, is your candy clay recipe out there somewhere.....

[SweetSide]

So wait, you're going to do 5 corn desserts which ALSO reflect the 5 themes right?

←

I'm not sure it will be 5 desserts, but I want 5 corn components which reflect the 5 themes. The theme part is having a hard time forming at the moment.

Autumnal beauty -- good

Indian brothers -- easy

Love of family -- have an idea

But, how to differentiate love of each other from love of family?

And what about freedom? Stretching here at the moment.

PS -- love you signature line....

[jackal10]

Freedom = fries? (corn shapes)

[duckduck]

Interesting twist. Nice challenge. First thing that came to mind for me was a corn cob jelly recipe that I always meant to try.

http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/RECIPES/RECI...rncobjelly.html

[ludja]

Corn can be sweet, and is a precusor for corn syrup.

Maybe 5 corn based dishes:

Popcorn (e.g. butterscotch)

Corn pancakes with thyme honey or corn souffle

Corn pudding/Indian pudding

Sweet polenta/grits/creamed corn

Corn flakes/chocolate clusters

with corn liquor...

←

Nice ideas, including the corn squeeze!

The ideas for incorporating corn flavor into a cream or custard base also sound like a promising idea.

Two completely different flavors that can be complimentary to corn: rosemary (eg. polenta cake soaked with rosemary syrup) or maple syrup and butter.

Sinice butter and salt go so well with corn, I wonder if a salt accent, thinking along the line of salted caramels might work. Butter, salt, caramel and corn...

[rooftop1000]

Butter, salt, caramel and corn is Cracker Jacks....

but I was thinking corn meal crusted fried things mmmm like bananas

and dessert empanadas

tracey

[sphar01]

In Claudia Fleming's book, The Last Course, she offers a recipe for candied corn, which basically simmers corn in simple syrup with vanilla

I have no idea if it is some sort of precursor to candy corn though, given the taste of candy corn I'll assume not.

[duckduck]

So wait, you're going to do 5 corn desserts which ALSO reflect the 5 themes right?

←

I'm not sure it will be 5 desserts, but I want 5 corn components which reflect the 5 themes. The theme part is having a hard time forming at the moment.

Autumnal beauty -- good

Indian brothers -- easy

Love of family -- have an idea

But, how to differentiate love of each other from love of family?

And what about freedom? Stretching here at the moment.

PS -- love you signature line....

←

Love for each other could be a pairing of some sort and the love of family could be a cluster such as caramel corn or layered item with many components. Freedom made me think of something new and wild like K8's tea caviar or something presented in a new and artsy way.

[Pontormo]

Wonderful challenge!!!

Polenta is not foreign to desserts and cream-style corn on top of mashed potatoes is pretty sweet. Since mashed potatoes are sometimes found in cakes and fresh corn swirled into buttery polenta...

Also I am reminded of the way The Bread Baker's Apprentice advises you to prepare cornbread. A larger grain of cornmeal is recommended, i.e. what is sold as polenta--or grits, no? You're supposed to soak the meal overnight in buttermilk at room temperature.

Some ideas: from Babbo or here.

I'm not sure if someone else has made the same proposal, but what about playing with different kinds of kernels like hominy?

[Tweety69bird]

Butter, salt, caramel and corn is Cracker Jacks....

but I was thinking corn meal crusted fried things mmmm like bananas

and dessert empanadas

tracey

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This made me think of (don't freak out) Pogo batter. Isn't that a cornmeal based batter? What about pogo batter over fruit, do you think that would taste good?

Or using popcorn as the base of a dessert, coated in caramel, a la Cracker Jack meets a corn galette.

Just thinking out loud...

[Pam R]

What's a Pogo? Corndog?

[Swisskaese]

You could make a sweet version of the Romanian national dish, mamaliga.

The American Indians make a dessert with pumpkin and corn, but I don't know what it is called.

[SweetSide]

I think I'm on a roll here and much thanks to Jackal10 for saying corn liquor...

I've got my five kernels:

syrup

meal

flour

creamed fresh

and liquor

also add in starch, whole fresh, and cob extraction.

Jack Daniels caramel sauce is goooood, and I'm not a Jack Daniels drinker.

Now I just have to come up with a plating arrangement for these five desserts, and get them all made. The biggest thing I've learned is that there is so much that you can do with corn! Stretching my envelope here...

I'm not a plated dessert person, so now I need to get these five desserts on a plate. Too many? I need to represent the five kernels, so I can't eliminate them, but I feel like if I combine one or two, then I'm losing my theme here. Yes? No?

Anyone got any food for thought....