Creamy, nutty, sweet, somewhat savory, this Black Sesame Ice Cream got it all! Enjoy the unique flavor of Japanese ice cream at home!
Have you tried Japanese flavored ice creams such as Green Tea Ice Cream and Red Bean Ice Cream? I have another Japanese-flavored ice cream for you today, and it’s Black Sesame Ice Cream (黒ゴマのアイスクリーム).
Sesame seeds might seem unusual ice cream flavor, but for the Japanese and Asian cuisine, black sesame flavor is commonly used in desserts.
Black Sesame Flavored Desserts
Popular desserts include black sesame macarons, purin (pudding), chiffon cake, mochi, bread, ice cream, and more. The Chinese cuisine has black sesame sweet soup and mochi dumpling with black sesame filling. Black sesame is unique in the way it changes the dynamic of a dessert completely. Ordinary looking desserts are transformed into a peculiar dark gray color, and it surprises you with unique nutty toasty flavor.
Black Sesame Paste
One of the key ingredients for this black sesame ice cream is the black sesame paste. A jar of the black sesame paste is sold at Japanese grocery stores or on Amazon.
With toasted black sesame seeds, you can make it yourself easy using a food processor.
Is the Japanese Black Sesame Paste the same as Black Tahini?
The black tahini is a common ingredient used in Middle Eastern cuisine. It is also called the sesame paste or sesame butter, but the difference is black tahini doesn’t require toasting the sesame seeds. After being pulverized into a paste, it is mixed with sesame oil and a little bit of salt.
For making Japanese sweets, you should be able to substitute with black tahini but bear in mind that it is unsweetened and may have a more pronounced bitter flavor. It is also more liquidy because of the sesame oil. So you will want to add some honey and make any necessary adjustments if needed.
Guest Posting!
Today I’m guest posting at Spicie Foodie. You might remember this blog when the blog owner Nancy interviewed me back in May. She’s celebrating her 3 year blog anniversary and she has kindly invited me to celebrate this big milestone with her. If you are new to food blogging and want great tips on food photography, make sure to check out her photography tutorial here. Please stop by Spicie Foodie to check out my guest post. Enjoy this black sesame dessert!
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Black Sesame Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
- 1 ⅔ cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 3 Tbsp black sesame paste (For my homemade recipe, click here)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup heavy (whipping) cream (¾ cup + 4 tsp to be precise)
- ⅛ tsp kosher/sea salt (I use Diamond Crystal; use half for table salt)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- If the black sesame seeds are not roasted yet, put the sesame in a (non-stick) fry pan over medium heat and stir until they start popping. They will start releasing a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and cool.
- Grind black sesame seeds very finely.
- Whisk sugar and egg yolk together until pale yellow.
- Add in honey, black sesame seeds, and black sesame paste and whisk until well combined.
- Microwave the milk till hot throughout (or bring it to simmer in a small pot) and add to the sesame mixture in a slow stream. Mix at low speed for 30 seconds.
- Transfer the mixture into the small pot. Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and reaches around 176ºF (80ºC). Don’t exceed 181ºF (83ºC) since egg yolk will get cooked. To avoid salmonella, the egg must be cooked for at least 1 minute over 167ºF (75ºC).
- Remove from heat and cool down the pot in a large bowl filled with iced water. Add vanilla.
- Clean the stand mixer bowl and now whisk together the heavy cream and a pinch of salt until peaks form.
- Add the whipped cream into the cooled sesame mixture.
- Fold in but do not over mix it. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator for several hours (or overnight) until completely cold.
- Process the mixture in your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions (usually about 25 minutes). Transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and freeze it for several hours before serving.
- If you are not going to use ice cream maker, then transfer the mixture to a container and put it in a freezer. Stir every few hours (3-4 times) to break up the ice crystals until it’s completely frozen.
Notes
