Corn for dessert? If it’s sweet, creamy and tastes like ice cream like this Frozen Corn Tart with a Chocolate Crust, then heck yesss!

My eyes were GLUED to the enigmatic recording software, lines flaring like a frenetic life-support monitor. The producer/engineer clipped, elongated, patched and layered vocals like a wizard. He added flourishes that lodged little tunes in my brain and made me reconsider every song I’d ever heard- how little I had appreciated the magnitude of work that goes into each song! 

How does a stylist/blogger end up in a recording studio? 

I was there for a work related project (I will definitely tell you more about why I was there when I can), pinching myself that my path and the good people in my life would bring me here. What I can tell you is, when life seems the most random, or when career tangents make little to no sense on paper but make my face hurt from smiling, that’s when my life feels the most on track. 

Corn for dessert may seem random or as out of place as me in a recording studio (especially if you hear me sign- ha!), but I assure you, once you try this Frozen Corn Tart, sweet corn as a sweet conclusion will make sense. 

Roasting the corn brings out its natural sweetness. Blending those sweet kernels with rich, healthy coconut cream yields an ice cream like dessert on a chocolate cornmeal crust. I’m nothing if not thematic. 

And what’s a sweet corn treat without a little caramel? Argentina (and more alfajores than I could count) taught me that. If you’re feeling ambitious, try my homemade Scotch Caramel, or Smoked Sea Salt Whiskey Caramel, or if all your energy is spent after roasting and pureeing corn, I have it on good authority Whole Foods has an organic caramel that you can justify using as a little indulgence. 

So here’s to the random adventures, the events and tangents that make little sense on paper but lead to a sweet conclusion. 

Cheers,

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Frozen Corn Tart with a Chocolate Crust
(Gluten Free with a Vegan Option)

About this Recipe: Sweet and creamy, like a good scoop of ice cream, but made with wholesome ingredients and healthier sweeteners. I use honey, but you can easily substitute another sweetener for a vegan version. 

Chocolate Coconut Crust (Gluten-Free)

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted (plus more for greasing pie pan)
2 Tablespoons raw honey (or agave syrup for vegan version)

1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 cups organic yellow cornmeal
2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Crust

Preheat oven to 350℉.

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt coconut oil and honey together. Remove from heat, and add vanilla. Set aside.

In a food processor, pulse together the coconut, cornmeal, cocoa and salt until finely ground.

Add liquid mixture to cornmeal-coconut mixture in the food processor. Pulse until coarse crumbs form (dough should clump together when squeezed).

Transfer dough to a greased 9-inch pie pan. Using a measuring cup or your fingers, evenly press dough in bottom and sides of pan.

Bake in center of oven until golden and firm, about 12-15 minutes (err on the side of under baking). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, at least 1 hour.

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Corn Filling

Ingredients

4 ears of organic/local corn

2 cans organic coconut milk, full fat, chilled and separated
4 Tablespoons organic agave syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

organic caramel sauce 

Directions

Preheat oven to 400° F and grease a cast iron skillet with coconut oil.

Place the ears of corn into the skillet, and roast for 15-20 minutes, or until soft and starting to brown. Remove from oven and cool.

Once the corn has cooled, use a knife to cut the kernels off the cobs. Reserve a few kernels for a garnish. In a food processor or blender, puree the remaining corn.

Separate the thick coconut cream from the coconut milk. Reserve the coconut milk for other uses (smoothies, cereal, dog treat, etc). Add the coconut cream, agave, vanilla and salt to the corn puree, and blend until fluffy/creamy.

Pour the liquid into the pie crust. Top with reserved corn kernels, and freeze overnight.

To Serve: 

Remove from freezer to thaw slightly before serving. Drizzle with your favorite organic caramel sauce. 

Enjoy!