Creamy, nutty, sweet, and somewhat savory, this homemade Black Sesame Ice Cream has got it all! Enjoy the unique flavor of Japanese ice cream at home with my easy recipe.
Have you tried Japanese ice cream flavors such as Green Tea Ice Cream and Red Bean Ice Cream? I have another Japanese-style ice cream for you today, and it’s Black Sesame Ice Cream (黒ゴマのアイスクリーム).
Sesame might seem like an unusual ice cream flavor. However, for Japanese and Asian cuisine, black sesame flavor is commonly used in desserts. If you haven’t tried it before, you’ll be pleasantly surprised how well this flavor works in sweet treats. Try it for yourself with my Black Sesame Ice Cream recipe!
Table of Contents
Black Sesame-Flavored Desserts
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 a unique nutty and toasty flavor.
Popular desserts include black sesame macarons, purin (pudding), chiffon cake, mochi, bread, ice cream, and more. Chinese cuisine has black sesame sweet soup and mochi dumpling with black sesame filling.
Black Sesame Paste
One of the key ingredients for this black sesame ice cream is the black sesame paste. You can find a jar of black sesame paste at Japanese grocery stores or on Amazon.
With toasted black sesame seeds, you can make the paste yourself easily using a food processor.
Japanese Black Sesame Paste vs. Black Tahini
Black tahini is a common ingredient used in Middle Eastern cuisine. It is also called sesame paste or sesame butter, but the difference is black tahini doesn’t require toasting the sesame seeds. After being pulverized into a thick paste, it is mixed with sesame oil and a little bit of salt until smooth in texture.
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 liquid because of the sesame oil. So you will want to add some honey and make any necessary adjustments if needed.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- toasted black sesame seeds
- whole milk
- sugar
- large egg yolks
- honey
- black sesame paste – you can also make black sesame paste from scratch
- pure vanilla extract
- heavy (whipping) cream
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
How To Make Black Sesame Ice Cream
- Toast the black sesame seeds (if not already toasted) in a dry pan over medium heat until they start popping. Remove from the heat and cool.
- Grind the seeds very finely in a mortar and pestle.
- Make the custard. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a mixer until pale yellow. Add the honey, ground sesame seeds, and sesame paste and whisk to combine. Heat the whole milk in the microwave or bring it to simmer in a small pot. Add to the sesame mixture in a slow stream. Mix at low speed for 30 seconds. Warm the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens. Cool down the pot in a large bowl filled with iced water. Add the vanilla extract.
- Make the whipped cream by whisking the heavy cream and salt until peaks form.
- Combine the whipped cream and cooled sesame mixture. Fold in with a spatula but do not overmix it. Chill in the fridge for several hours (or overnight) until completely cold.
- Churn the mixture in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s directions (usually about 25 minutes). Transfer the ice cream to an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze it for several hours before serving.
If you aren’t using an 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.
Ice Cream and Sorbet Recipes You’ll Love
- Matcha Ice Cream
- Soy Sauce Caramel Ice Cream
- Mochi Ice Cream
- Azuki Red Bean Ice Cream
- Yuzu Sorbet
- Shiso Sorbet
- Japanese Fruit Parfait
- Anmitsu
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Black Sesame Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp toasted black sesame seeds
- 1⅔ cups whole milk
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 3 Tbsp black sesame paste (or learn How to Make Black Sesame Paste from scratch)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 200 ml heavy (whipping) cream (¾ cup + 4 tsp)
- ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Instructions
- Before You Start…Please note that this recipe requires 8+ hours of chilling, churning, and freezing time.
- Gather all the ingredients.
- If the black sesame seeds are not roasted yet, put the sesame in a (nonstick) frying pan over medium heat and stir until they start popping. They will release a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and cool.
- Grind 2 Tbsp toasted black sesame seeds very finely.
- Whisk ⅓ cup sugar and 3 large egg yolks together until pale yellow.
- Add in 2 Tbsp honey, the ground black sesame seeds, and 3 Tbsp black sesame paste. Whisk until well combined.
- Microwave 1⅔ cups whole milk until 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 the egg yolk will cook. 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 1 tsp pure vanilla extract.
- Clean the stand mixer bowl and now whisk together 200 ml heavy (whipping) cream (¾ cup + 4 tsp) and ⅛ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt until peaks form.
- Add the whipped cream into the cooled sesame mixture.
- Fold in but do not overmix 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 an 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.
I have never seen this method of folding in whipped cream as part of an icecream recipe and then freezing it, vs. just combining the cream and milke arlier. How does this affect the end result vs. a more standard approach to the cream?
Hello, John. Thank you for reading Nami’s post.
Whipping cream gives the ice cream a more airy and lighter texture, and we often use this approach in Japan.
We hope you’ll give it a try!🤗
Hi Nami! This recipe looks lovely, and I’m so excited to try it out.
Question – Would it be possible to use honey instead of sugar? If not, would coconut sugar be an acceptable substitute? Thank you!
Hello, Noel! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
You may use honey, but the ice cream will become softer. If you decide to use it, please adjust the amount of honey because it is much sweeter than sugar.
We hope this helps!