While you're about to start boiling water, make the herb butter so it's ready when the corn finishes cooking. Add the softened butter, fresh thyme, finely chopped parsley, garlic powder, lemon zest, lemon juice, and smoked paprika to a food processor and blend until the herbs are fully incorporated and the mixture is uniform. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. I like to make this first so it's at room temperature and spreadable right when you need it.

Bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Once boiling, add the milk, 3/4 cup butter, and sugar, stirring to combine and allowing the mixture to return to a boil—this creates a rich, slightly sweet cooking environment for the corn. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, then add the husked corn that's been snapped in half. Cover the pot and cook for 6-8 minutes until the corn is tender but still has a slight bite to it.

Carefully remove the corn from the pot with tongs and transfer to a serving platter. Season each piece lightly with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Top each piece generously with the herb butter from Step 1, allowing it to melt over the warm corn. Serve immediately while everything is hot.