Toasted Black Sesame Ice Cream (Printer-friendly)
Rich, creamy custard infused with toasted black sesame for a uniquely nutty frozen dessert experience.
# What You'll Need:
→ Black Sesame Paste
01 - 1/2 cup black sesame seeds
02 - 2 tablespoons honey
03 - 1 tablespoon neutral oil (grapeseed or sunflower)
→ Ice Cream Base
04 - 1 2/3 cups whole milk
05 - 1 cup heavy cream
06 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
07 - 4 large egg yolks
08 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
# How to Prepare:
01 - Toast black sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
02 - Grind cooled seeds in a food processor or spice grinder until fine powder forms. Add honey and oil, blending until smooth paste develops. Set aside.
03 - Combine milk, cream, and half of sugar in medium saucepan. Heat over medium until just steaming, being careful not to boil.
04 - Whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar and salt in separate bowl until mixture becomes pale and thickened.
05 - Gradually pour hot milk mixture into yolks while whisking constantly to prevent curdling and temper the eggs.
06 - Return mixture to saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously with wooden spoon until thickened enough to coat back of spoon, reaching approximately 175°F.
07 - Remove from heat. Stir in black sesame paste and vanilla extract, mixing until completely smooth and fully incorporated.
08 - Strain custard through fine sieve into clean bowl. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for minimum 4 hours or until thoroughly chilled.
09 - Process chilled mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions until properly churned and consistency resembles soft-serve.
10 - Transfer churned ice cream to freezer-safe container, cover tightly, and freeze for at least 2 hours until firm enough to scoop.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The toasted sesame flavor deepens with each bite, making it taste far more complex than the simple ingredient list suggests
- Friends always ask what the mysterious dark ice cream is, and their expressions when they try it are absolutely worth the effort
02 -
- The ice cream will taste slightly less sweet after freezing, so do not be tempted to reduce the sugar
- If you churn before the mixture is completely cold, the texture will be grainy rather than smooth
03 -
- Grind the sesame seeds in a spice grinder rather than a food processor if you want the finest possible powder
- Adding a pinch of sea salt at the end makes the sesame flavor pop in ways sugar alone cannot achieve