About this recipe
Ever had a scoop of really good black sesame ice cream at a restaurant and wondered how to make it? It's actually way easier than you think. You don't need to hunt down specialty pastes—we're making our own quick version right in the blender. Toasting the seeds first pulls out an intensely nutty, almost savory depth that cuts right through the sweet dairy. The custard base is insanely creamy and scoops perfectly. And while there's some chilling involved, the hands-on prep is surprisingly fast. It is ready in 390 minutes.
Ingredients
Black sesame paste
- 1/2 cup black sesame seeds (toasted)
- 2 tbsp honey (or sugar syrup)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (as needed for blending)
Ice cream base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Equipment
saucepan
mixing bowl
whisk
ice cream maker
freezer container
Instructions
Toast the sesame seeds
Toss your black sesame seeds into a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Keep them moving for 3 to 5 minutes until they smell super fragrant and nutty. Don't walk away during this step—seeds can burn in a flash. Pour them onto a plate to cool slightly.
Make sesame paste
Dump the cooled, toasted sesame seeds into a blender or food processor along with the honey. Pulse it a few times to get things breaking down. Drizzle in the neutral oil and keep blending until it turns into a thick, gritty paste. It won't be perfectly smooth, and that's exactly what we want.
Warm the dairy
In a medium saucepan, whisk together your heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and kosher salt. Set it over medium-low heat. Let it warm up just until you see steam rising from the surface. Whatever you do, don't let it reach a boiling bubble.
Temper the yolks
Put your egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle about a half cup of the hot dairy mixture into the yolks while whisking vigorously. This tempers the eggs so they don't scramble when they hit the hot pan. Pour everything back into the saucepan.
Cook the custard
Cook the base over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. You are looking for the mixture to thicken just enough to coat the back of the spoon—about 170°F if you have a thermometer. Take it off the heat immediately. Whisk in your homemade black sesame paste and the vanilla extract until it's a solid, beautiful gray color.
Chill and churn
Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer if you want a smoother texture, or leave it as-is for little flecks of sesame. Chill it in the fridge until it is completely ice cold. Once cold, pour it into your ice cream maker and churn it according to your machine's directions until it looks like soft serve.
Freeze and serve
Scrape the soft ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Press a piece of parchment paper directly against the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze it for at least 4 hours until it's firm enough to scoop. Top with a pinch of extra seeds right before eating.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Scrambling the eggs
If you pour steaming milk directly into the egg yolks without whisking, you'll end up with scrambled eggs. Always temper them by whisking a small splash of the hot liquid in first.
Tips
- Always chill your custard base overnight if you have the time. It drastically improves the final texture and helps the ice cream freeze faster in the machine.
- Use a neutral-flavored oil like canola, avocado, or grapeseed for the sesame paste. Olive oil will completely overpower the delicate toasted notes.
- Don't skip the salt in the base. It cuts through the heavy dairy and makes the roasted sesame flavor pop.
Substitutions
- Swap the honey in the sesame paste for maple syrup or simple syrup if you want a cleaner flavor profile.
- If you're out of whole milk, you can use 2%—but avoid skim milk, or your final ice cream will turn out icy.
Storage
Store your homemade ice cream in a shallow, airtight freezer container. Press a piece of plastic wrap or parchment paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream before snapping on the lid. This blocks out air and completely prevents those annoying icy crystals from forming. It stays fresh and scoopable in the freezer for up to a month. Let the container sit on the counter for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving so it softens enough to scoop easily.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 scoop
- Calories
- 310
- Protein
- 5g
- Carbohydrates
- 25g
- Fat
- 22g
- Fiber
- 2g
- Sugar
- 22g
- Sodium
- 110mg
FAQ
Can I use store-bought black sesame paste instead?
Yeah, absolutely. If you have a good jar of Japanese or Chinese black sesame paste on hand, just swap in about 1/4 cup of it and skip the toasting and blending steps.
Why did my ice cream turn out icy instead of creamy?
Usually, this happens if the custard wasn't cold enough before churning, or if your ice cream maker's bowl wasn't fully frozen solid. Make sure both are ice cold before you start.
Can I use white sesame seeds if I can't find black?
You can, but it completely changes the recipe. White sesame has a much milder, tahini-like flavor, and you'll miss out on that striking gray color.
Recipe Card
Black Sesame Ice Cream
Creamy homemade black sesame ice cream with toasted black sesame paste and a rich nutty flavor.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 390 min
- Servings
- 8
- Category
- Dessert Recipes
- Cuisine
- Asian Inspired
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cost
- Budget-friendly
Ingredients
Black sesame paste
- 1/2 cup black sesame seeds (toasted)
- 2 tbsp honey (or sugar syrup)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (as needed for blending)
Ice cream base
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Toast the sesame seeds: Toss your black sesame seeds into a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Keep them moving for 3 to 5 minutes until they smell super fragrant and nutty. Don't walk away during this step—seeds can burn in a flash. Pour them onto a plate to cool slightly.
- Make sesame paste: Dump the cooled, toasted sesame seeds into a blender or food processor along with the honey. Pulse it a few times to get things breaking down. Drizzle in the neutral oil and keep blending until it turns into a thick, gritty paste. It won't be perfectly smooth, and that's exactly what we want.
- Warm the dairy: In a medium saucepan, whisk together your heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, and kosher salt. Set it over medium-low heat. Let it warm up just until you see steam rising from the surface. Whatever you do, don't let it reach a boiling bubble.
- Temper the yolks: Put your egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle about a half cup of the hot dairy mixture into the yolks while whisking vigorously. This tempers the eggs so they don't scramble when they hit the hot pan. Pour everything back into the saucepan.
- Cook the custard: Cook the base over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula. You are looking for the mixture to thicken just enough to coat the back of the spoon—about 170°F if you have a thermometer. Take it off the heat immediately. Whisk in your homemade black sesame paste and the vanilla extract until it's a solid, beautiful gray color.
- Chill and churn: Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer if you want a smoother texture, or leave it as-is for little flecks of sesame. Chill it in the fridge until it is completely ice cold. Once cold, pour it into your ice cream maker and churn it according to your machine's directions until it looks like soft serve.
- Freeze and serve: Scrape the soft ice cream into a freezer-safe container. Press a piece of parchment paper directly against the surface of the ice cream to prevent ice crystals from forming. Freeze it for at least 4 hours until it's firm enough to scoop. Top with a pinch of extra seeds right before eating.
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