Be transported to Japan with this easy recipe for black sesame ice cream.
Are you a fan of rich, creamy desserts but want to stay on the healthier side? Do you love the nutty flavour of peanut butter but want to switch things up? Well, this is for you. It's so good!
It was delicious! Thanks for making the recipe, there aren't many for black sesame and it is one of my favorites. - Zach
What Does Black Sesame Ice Cream Taste Like?
Black or grey ice cream perhaps doesn't look that aesthetic, but what if I told you that it tasted divine? Black sesame ice cream tastes a cross between peanut butter and cookie dough.
If this was a blind tasting, I'd be convinced I was having a variation of a slightly salted peanut butter ice cream. My daughters also believe it's like raw cookie dough too. Except it's not. It's moreish, sophisticated and healthy too.
After tasting the most popular Japanese ice creams on our family trip, our unanimous choice was this one. Even over the most powerful Matcha green tea, tasted from Tokyo, Koyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kinosaki, Kanazawa to Shirikiwa-go, this one was the winner.
How to Say Ice Cream in Japanese
We love the Japanese word for ice cream. It looks complicated at first glance but just say this out loud:
AISUKURÏMU (pronounced: 'ais-eu-creamu'). My daughter, Lucie, is still trying to work on me saying it right (she's currently in Japan studying Japanese).
I'm the biggest ice cream fan when it's homemade; even more so during a heatwave like it was in a Japanese humid summer!
For more about our ice cream experiences, tea ceremonies and more sweet Japanese discoveries, read my article, Teatime in Japan.
What is Black Sesame Ice Cream Made Of?
Straight after tasting the black sesame ice cream, we headed to the nearest Japanese store to find black sesame. Antoine and the girls were so inspired and determined we had to make this at home. So straight away I developed this recipe. It's simple with 6 ingredients: black sesame seeds, egg yolks, whole milk, a little cream, sugar and a little salt as ingredients.
The family have now unanimously tasted and approved the recipe below. This black sesame ice cream is not too rich and made lighter with mainly milk rather than with cream.
I also experimented using a little honey, but we found that honey really overpowered the black sesame, no matter how little used. Perhaps our French honey is too strong.
This recipe is low in sugar as doesn't need sweetened much. The result is you can taste the black sesame even better.
Toasted Seeds, Paste or Powder?
It's so much easier to find ready-made black sesame paste in Japanese speciality stores. In Paris I discovered the most intense black sesame paste (pre-roasted) at Nishikidôri. Powder is also good - I've also loved using a 70g (2.5oz) packet of pre-prepared powdered black sesame seeds (Surigoma Black by Hokuya).
However, if you can only find whole black sesame seeds, toast them (dry fry) in a non-stick frying pan just for 4 minutes to release their flavour, then grind in a food processor or spice grinder. Some are already pre-roasted for you!
How to Make Black Sesame Ice Cream
See full printable recipe with video below.
While the milk is heating in a saucepan, whisk together the yolks and sugar until pale and creamy.
Whisk in the black sesame powder or paste.
Then add about half of the hot milk into the mixture to temper.
Whisk together until well blended then pour back into the saucepan. Whisk constantly to keep the mixture smooth over a medium heat just until thickened.
As soon as it's thickened, remove from the heat to avoid curdling the eggs. At this point, the mixture should smoothly coat a spoon without running down it. This is a sign that it's ready.
Add the cold whipping/heavy cream and leave to cool. Then chill for a couple of hours or overnight.
When a chilled custard, pour into an ice cream maker to churn. Transfer into a sealed container and store in the freezer for at least an hour or more.
What Flavours Go Well with Black Sesame Ice Cream?
Although this ice cream is so good on its own, we love to add fresh seasonal berries. Black sesame goes particularly well with berries or fruit with a little acidity to bring out the flavours. Enjoy with fresh strawberries, raspberries, redcurrants, blueberries - all with a little acidity.
To add a crispy texture, enjoy with crispy tuiles made with sesame seeds for a double whammy or with French salted butter biscuits, Palets Bretons.
However, for the ultimate taste, serve with yuzu macarons. Yuzu'll love it (Scottish joke pun). Just follow either of the lemon macaron recipes in either Mad About Macarons or Teatime in Paris cookbooks, and replace the fresh lemon juice with yuzu juice, also available from Japanese specialist stores.
What Can I make with Leftover Egg Whites?
As this uses 5 egg yolks, save the leftover egg whites in a sealed jar or covered glass.
The whites can keep in the fridge for about 5 days plus they freeze well too. Here are some recipes that use egg whites - so save them up and enjoy these:
- Light French Chocolate Mousse (no cream)
- Vacherin (French ice cream meringue cake) - make this more original than the classic French by using this ice cream!
- Salted Caramel Macarons
- Crispy Tuile Cookies - also great to serve with this
- Financier cakes
Black Sesame Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 75 g (3oz/ ½ cup) Japanese black sesame paste (or whole black sesame seeds) available from Japanese speciality stores
- 500 ml (18 fl oz/ 2¼ cups) whole milk full-fat
- 5 egg yolks organic
- 110 g (4oz/ ½ cup) sugar
- 100 ml (3.5 fl oz/ ½ cup) whipping/heavy cream (30% fat)
- pinch salt Fleur de sel, Celtic sea salt
Instructions
- Open Sesame (sorry, couldn't resist).
- If using whole seeds, dry roast black sesame seeds in a non-stick frying pan for 4-5 minutes then grind in a coffee grinder (optional step but recommend doing this to bring out extra flavour). Otherwise use pre-packaged black sesame paste found in Japanese speciality stores.
- Gently heat the milk in a heavy-based saucepan (do not boil). Meanwhile, in a large bowl with a lid, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Add the black sesame powder and salt, whisking until smooth.
- Pour about half of the hot milk on to the black sesame mixture, whisking until combined then transfer back to the saucepan. Whisk constantly to keep the mixture smooth and heat over a medium heat just until thickened then remove from the heat to avoid curdling the eggs. At this point, the mixture should smoothly coat a spoon to show that it's ready.
- Add the cold cream, set aside to cool, then cover and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours or overnight.
- Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, then freeze for at least an hour before serving.
Chris
The ice cream looks amazing. I'm wondering if it would work if I use oatmilk and vegan heavy cream instead.
Jill Colonna
Hi Chris - yes, it's really good! I'm afraid I haven't tried it with oat milk or vegan heavy cream as you say - so can't say for sure. It won't be the same recipe or have the same silky consistency, even using the egg yolks. Please let me know how you get on if you try it, as I'm curious.
Marie Browning
Hi Jill! Thank you for the recipe, it looks amazing!
I often make custard based ice creams but the ratio of milk to cream that I usually use is around 1:2. Is there a reason for using such a large quantity of milk, with only 100ml cream?
Jill Colonna
Hi Marie - glad you like it. The only reason was to cut down on cream to make it a bit lighter and it works so well - but if you want more cream, then please just use your own ratio.
Anne
It sounds so yum! Although it's still cold outside but I will definitely try it. Thank you for the recipe!
Jill Colonna
It's a real pleasure - we love it, even in winter!
Bethy
I made this today. Superb! Goes well with green tea ice cream. A combo Ive only seen in NYC but doesnt mean it doesnt exist elsewhere!
Seriously, this recipe might get me to buy an ice cream machine (im borrowing a neighbors right now)
Jill Colonna
That's wonderful to hear, Bethy. We also had this combo in Japan and can confirm it's incredible! So happy you like the recipe - hope you'll try other recipes from le blog.
Bethy
Mine is in the middle of prep but it’s a weird green-grey color. How can I make it darker?
Jill Colonna
Hi Bethy, please see the recipe notes, as if you want it darker, go for the slightly higher ratio of black sesame seeds. However, don't be put off by the greyish colour, as the taste will still be amazing.
Zach
Hello! I am currently making this recipe and just wanted to point out... 500ml = about 16 fl oz, not 6. Almost made a big mistake as my first time ice creaming!
Jill Colonna
Dear Zach,
Thank goodness you commented here - thank you so much for pointing out the conversion mistake. In fact it's 18fl oz for half litre. Much appreciate this. I always work in grams so I didn't notice the mistake. Hope this doesn't put you off the rest of the recipes, which have double checked conversions! Hope you enjoyed the ice cream in the end, though? That's most important.
Zach
It was delicious! Thanks for making the recipe, there aren't many for black sesame and it is one of my favorites.
Jill Colonna
Thrilled to hear, Zach. We love this ice cream so much!
Zach
I am making this recipe again tomorrow, do you measure your ingredients by weight or by volume?
Jill Colonna
Hi Zach,
As you can see from the recipe, I measure always in weight and never by volume. The difference is huge. If you follow recipes by weight, you get consistent results, whereas with volume, it's hit or a miss really. To read more on the subject and to understand why I do this, please read my article here.
Zach
Also, whipping cream instead of heavy whipping cream is intended, correct?
Jill Colonna
Everything in this recipe is totally intended, Zach. Whipping cream should be at least 30% fat.
Betty
I'm quite certain we would love this. Victor is such a fan of nuts and seeds, peanut butter, all of it! We'll have to keep our eyes open for black sesame seeds, as I like to use them in cooking, but we find them somewhat hard to find.
Jill Colonna
Glad to hear you'll love to make this, Betty. Do you have an Asian store near to you? If not, I've just checked on Amazon - and they have a choice of seeds and even pure black sesame powder! Great news.
Liz
What an intriguing flavor! I always have a jar of black sesame seeds in the freezer as they are so pretty (I like sprinkling challah with both black and regular sesame seeds). We are still warm in Indiana, so ice cream making can still happen (though, like you, I find it impossible to be prepared enough to get a non-melted scoop or bowlfun!). I can't wait to read more about your trip to Japan.
Jill Colonna
What a great idea, Liz - never thought of keeping a jar of black sesame seeds in the freezer for sprinkling on bread. Although I wouldn't be able to make ice cream from using frozen ones. I'll try to post the rest of the trip here soon!
Bea
Oh Jill, I'm so excited to try your recipe! Now which macaron to gave with it . I love trying new things. I just made the forest cake with spinach & absolutely fell in love with it..
Jill Colonna
You'll love this, Bea. I forgot to mention that there's the pistachio, coconut, vanilla and wasabi macarons from the first book, too! Forest cake with spinach? That sounds interesting!
Christina | Christina's Cucina
Admittedly, I have sometimes substituted peanut butter in my hummus when I didn't have sesame tahini on hand! They have a similar flavor and no one knew the better! I'd be all for trying this, Jill! I'm not a huge ice cream fan, but like you said, on a hot day...
Jill Colonna
Well imagine that, peanut butter in hummus... good idea! Go on, it's hot in sunny California - go'an make some ice cream 😉