Black Sesame Ice Cream

A classic Asian ice cream flavor, black sesame ice cream. The rich toasted, nutty flavor of sesame seeds combined with this creamy ice cream base is a frozen treat to die for.

Jump to:

• What is black sesame?
• Ingredients
• Tips on making the perfect black sesame ice cream
• Frequently Asked Questions
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

What is black sesame?

Black sesame is an oilseed largely found in Asia. It's known for its nutty and slightly bitter flavor and it is used in desserts all over East Asia. Whether it be the filling in a Chinese glutinous rice dumpling or ground with sugar for a Cantonese-style sweet dessert soup there are so many different sweets that can be made with this delicious seed.

You might be wondering, what is the difference between white and black sesame seeds? Black sesame seeds have a more distinct flavor, while white sesame seeds are less bitter and slightly sweet. On top of that black sesame seeds are higher in nutrients and antioxidants!

Ingredients

• Granulated sugar: Sugar is needed to sweeten the ice cream, feel free to increase or decrease the amount used according to your preferences
• Black sesame seeds: The sesame seeds make up the flavor of the dessert! You can use toasted or untoasted whole sesame seeds. If the sesame seeds are toasted they will have a nuttier flavor with a stronger fragrance. Both will produce an equally delicious ice cream.

• Xantham gum: Xantham gum acts as a stabilizer in the ice cream, preventing it from getting too icy, and ensuring it stays at a consistent texture.
• Whole milk: Milk makes up the body of the ice cream. Make sure you use whole milk as skim or lite milk can cause the ice cream to become icy.
• Heavy cream: Also known as thickened cream, the cream also makes up the body of the ice cream. The cream gives the ice cream a thicker, creamier mouthfeel. If you love creamy ice cream feel free to add more.

Tips on making the perfect black sesame ice cream

This ice cream recipe is fairly easy, but there are a couple of tips you can put in place to ensure the perfect result.

Grind your sesame seeds finely

The finer you grind your sesame seeds the smoother your final ice cream will be. It will also intensify the overall flavor of the ice cream!

If you have a high-speed blender I highly recommend using it. The initial step of blending the sesame seeds should result in a fine black powder or even a thick paste.

Blend until thickened

This ice cream base doesn't use a stovetop to thicken it, instead, it uses the blender. As the blender continues to blitz the ice cream base it will start to thicken up. This is because xantham gum has thickening properties.

Not only does this speed up the chilling process, but there is also less cleanup and less fuss! If you don't have xantham gum you can use any other kind of ice cream stabilizer or even some cornstarch.

Chill completely

Make sure you give your ice cream time to chill completely after blending. Although the ice cream base will still be quite cool after blending, the colder the ice cream base before chilling the better.

The faster an ice cream chills in your ice cream machine the smoother it will be in texture. Therefore it's important to start with a cool ice cream base.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does ice cream last in the freezer?

Homemade ice cream lasts about a month in the freezer but it is best consumed within two weeks of making it. The longer ice cream is kept in the freezer the more ice crystals will form. This will result in a grainier, icy ice cream.

How should I store homemade ice cream?

Make sure you store the ice cream in an air-tight container. This prevents ice crystals from forming on the surface of your ice cream and potentially changing the texture.

Can I make this without a blender?

Yes, you can! There are so many other ways to grind black sesame seeds, whether it's a food processor, spice grinder, or even a mortar and pestle. However, if you aren't using a blender you will need to heat the ice cream base to thicken it.

To do this grind your black sesame seeds, then whisk them together in a pan with all your other ingredients. Heat this mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it's thickened. The mixture should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and let it chill in the fridge for about 6 hours.

If you find that the mixture is lumpy or the sesame seeds weren't ground finely enough you can pass it through a fine-mesh sieve. This will result in a super smooth ice cream base!

Can I use black tahini?

Yes, you can! Black tahini is pretty much black sesame seeds that have been ground into a paste. If you keep grinding sesame seeds they will release their oils and become a paste.

If you use tahini or black sesame paste, your resulting ice cream will be super smooth with an intense black sesame flavor.

To use black tahini in this recipe just replace the 1 cup of black sesame seeds with ½ a cup of tahini.

How should I serve this?

There are so many different ways you can serve this! Personally, I love eating black sesame ice cream as it is, but use it to top your favorite desserts. Think in a parfait, on a waffle, or even with a chocolate dessert.

Trust me chocolate and black sesame are a wonderfully delicious flavor combination.

Why is my ice cream so hard to scoop?

Homemade ice cream is always difficult to scoop straight out of the freezer. This is because there is less air incorporated into homemade ice cream rather than store-bought ice creams.

When you are ready to serve take your ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit on your countertop at room temperature for about 15 minutes before scooping. This will help it come to a softer, more scoopable consistency.

Why doesn't this recipe use egg yolks?

I wanted to let the black sesame flavor shine!

Egg yolks can often overpower the flavor of an ice cream base, so having a milk/cream-based ice cream will give a very clean black sesame flavor.

Let's Get Baking

If you are a black sesame lover this is going to be your dream!! Black sesame isn't the most common ice cream flavor, so once you nail this black sesame ice cream recipe you can make it at home anytime!

If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went.

Also, don't forget to tag me on Instagram @catherine.desserts and hashtag #cattycakes so I can see and share your desserts. Follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Youtube, and TikTok for more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy caking!

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