Vines will be planted, corn will spring up, a whole growth of new crops; and people will still fall in love in vintages and harvests yet to come. Life is eternal; it is a perpetual renewal of birth and growth.

Emile Zola

I’m in the one week of vacation I’ve been granted for the year as I’m exactly halfway through, and so far I have done very, very little.
It’s excellent. How I have taken being a little lazy for granted, my word.

I suppose that technically, at the beginning of next week, I will be an M3, which, inasmuch as anything other milestone that I whine about here, has come abruptly and far too fast.
I swear I just had my white coat ceremony and there is no way I’m done with half of my core clerkships.  Yikes.

These little cream corn puffs are an ode to summer (probably the most summer I’m going to get this year, womp womp).
They are an unexpected combination of sweet corn and blueberry inside a crisp choux bun.
The bun is a standard choux pastry, but it is topped with a brown sugar and sweet corn craquelin.
Inside is a sweet corn pastry cream lightened with whipped cream with a dollop of fresh blueberry compote that provides a robust fruitiness to accompany the sweetness and richness of the rest.
Light and fluffy, buttery and crisp—winning combinations, all.

A couple of notes:

1. making craquelin in the summer can be a little difficult, because they are very high in butter ratio, and these are particularly tough because they have very little flour to bind them together. If you’ve never made a craquelin or are nervous or are working in 100 degree F heat like I was, may I suggest subbing all flour for the corn powder in the craquelin? It may make life easier for you. Another option is to go for simple pearl sugar on the top as I have done with a few buns in these pictures.

2. These are best eaten rather quickly after they are made, before the pastry gets soggy, but regardless, should be stored in the fridge for however long you plan to hold them, because the whipped cream will melt.

3. If you can’t find freeze-dried corn powder near you, I’ve ordered mine off Amazon. It’s a bit niche and thus fairly $$$, but it is a delicious je-ne-sais-quoi best used by Christina Tosi herself.

Sweet Corn and Blueberry Cream Puffs
makes 20 small buns

ingredients:
for the sweet corn craquelin:
70 grams (2.5 ounces, 1/3 cup packed) light brown sugar
70 grams (5 tablespoons) butter, cubed
pinch sea salt
30 grams (1 ounce, 2 tablespoons) freeze-dried corn powder
40 grams (1.5 ounces, 1/3 cup) AP flour

for the blueberry compote:
1 cup blueberries
2-3 tablespoons sugar (taste your blueberries to see how sweet they are)
1 teaspoon lime juice

for the sweet corn pastry cream:
460 grams (2 cups) whole milk
2 ears fresh corn, shucked and kernels stripped
100 grams (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
30 grams (3 tablespoons) cornstarch
30 grams (1 ounce, 2 tablespoons) freeze-dried corn powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 egg yolks
30 grams (2 tablespoons) butter

for the choux pastry:
120 grams (1/2 cup) water
120 grams (1/2 cup) milk
85 grams (6 tablespoons) butter, cubed
10 grams (2 teaspoons) sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
128 grams (4.5 ounces, 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons) AP flour, sifted
4 eggs

to assemble:
1 pint heavy whipping cream, cold
2 tablespoons (25 grams) sugar

directions:
Make the choux au craquelin: first prepare the craquelin: whip the butter and sugar and salt together until fluffy.
Mix in the corn powder and flour until a paste forms.
Roll it out between two sheets of parchment to 1/8 inch thick and place in freezer.
Once hardened, cut out 1-inch rounds and keep in freezer.
Meanwhile, make the choux batter: place water, milk, butter, salt, and sugar in a pot over medium heat.
Sift the flour while the butter melts.
When the water comes to a light simmer, dump all the flour in at once and immediately stir with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon until the flour absorbs the water.
Cook, stirring briskly, until there are no dry patches and little oil droplets are showing up on the bottom of the pan (a spoon should stand up straight when stuck in).
Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Whisk the eggs together extremely well, until they are entirely homogeneous.
Place in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle and begin to mix on low-medium speed.
Slowly stream in the eggs, allowing each addition to fully incorporate.
Stop adding eggs when the dough is pipeable, shiny, and smooth.
Place in a piping bag fitted with a round tip.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Onto a baking sheet fitted with parchment paper, pipe 1-inch round dollops.
Top each with a little craquelin disc.
Place in oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, until puffed and dry.
Remove from oven and poke a hole in the side; allow to cool completely in the turned off, cooled oven.
Meanwhile, make the blueberry compote: stir all ingredients together over low-medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Cook until thickened, then allow to cool.
Make the sweet corn pastry cream: place milk and corn kernels and cobs into a pot over low-medium heat.
Bring to a low simmer and allow to steep for 20 minutes.
Strain out the corn bits.
Place the milk back over the heat and add the sugar.
Stir the cornstarch, corn powder, and salt together with the egg yolks, whipping to ensure no lumps.
Bring the milk to a very low boil, then ladle in 1/4 cup of hot milk while whisking the egg mixture  to temper the eggs.
Add one more 1/4 cup measure while whisking, then whisk the tempered eggs into the hot milk mixture.
Continue to stir constantly while cooking the pastry cream until thickened and smooth.
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
Place in a bowl to cool; place plastic wrap against the surface to prevent a skin.
Once ready to assemble the puffs, whip the heavy whipping cream with sugar to stiff peaks.
Fold the whipped cream into the corn pastry cream.
Place in a piping bag fitted with a French star tip.
Split the choux puffs by cutting a round top off of each.
Pipe a base of cream into the bottom of the puff.
Top with a dollop of blueberry compote, then finish piping a heap of cream on top.
Replace the top of the choux bun and top with a small piece of gold leaf.