Have you tried Japanese flavored ice cream such as Green Tea Ice Cream and Red Bean Ice Cream? I have another Japanese-flavored ice cream for you today, which is this mysterious Black Sesame Ice Cream.
I hope I was able to surprise some of you with this unusual ice cream flavor. For the Japanese and some Asians, black sesame flavor is commonly used in desserts. Popular desserts include black sesame macarons, purin (pudding), chiffon cake, mochi, bread, ice cream, and more. The Chinese has black sesame sweet soup and mochi dumpling with black sesame filling. Black sesame is unique in the way it changes the dynamic of a dessert completely. Ordinary looking dessert are transformed into a peculiar dark gray color, and it surprises you with unique nutty toasty flavor.
One of the key ingredients for this black sesame ice cream is the Asian black sesame paste, which is sold in jars at Japanese (or Chinese) grocery stores. The black sesame paste is different from black tahini because black sesame seeds are roasted before they are grounded.
A jar of Black Sesame Paste (Neri Goma)
Today I’m guest posting at Spicie Foodie. You might remember this blog when the blog owner Nancy interviewed me back in May. She’s celebrating her 3 year blog anniversary and she has kindly invited me to celebrate this big milestone with her. If you are new to food blogging and want great tips on food photography, make sure to check out her photography tutorial here. Please stop by Spicie Foodie to check out my guest post. Enjoy this black sesame dessert!
Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp. roasted black sesame seeds
- 400 ml (roughly 1 2/3 cup) whole milk
- 70g (2.5oz, roughly 1/3 cup) sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 Tbsp. honey
- 3 Tbsp. black sesame paste (or Homemade Black Sesame Paste)
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 200 ml (Take away 2 Tbsp. of 1 cup) heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- If the black sesame seeds are not roasted yet, put the sesame in a (non-stick) fry pan over medium heat and stir until they start popping. They will start releasing a nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and cool.
- Grind black sesame seeds very finely.
- In a small pot, bring the milk to a simmer and remove from heat.
- Whisk sugar and egg yolk together until pale yellow.
- Add in honey, black sesame seeds, and black sesame paste and whisk until well combined.
- Add the milk into the sesame mixture in a slow stream.
- Pour the mixture into the small pot over medium-low heat. Stir until the custard thickens and reach around 80C (176F) degree. Don’t exceed 83C (181F) degree since egg yolk will get cooked.*
- Remove from heat and cool down the pot in a large bowl filled with iced water. Add vanilla.
- Clean the stand mixer bowl and now whisk together the heavy cream and a pinch of salt until peaks form.
- Add the whipped cream into the cooled sesame mixture.
- Fold in but do not over mix 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 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.
Notes
*To avoid salmonella, egg must be cooked for at least 1 minute over 75C (167F) degree.
Adapted from a Japanese blog bonappetit
Enjoy!
Hi, I'm Nami. Thanks for stopping by Just One Cookbook. You can read little bit more about me 
{ 140 comments… read them below or add one }
Nami this looks incredible! I wish I had some right now. I love trying unique ice cream flavors. Thank you so much for bringing our attention to the photography tutorials on Spicy Foodie’s site. I’ve Pinned that page and will go back and read through them all. I need the help!
Nami, I just saw you guest posting on Spicie Foodie earlier today and was drooling over this ice cream – amazing! The color and texture is incredible and I never knew it was possible to make ice cream with sesame… Love this…
Just wanted to drop by and let you know I’m featuring this post in Food Fetish Friday (with a link-back and attribution). I hope you have no objections and it’s always a pleasure following you…
What a great ice cream!! I bet it’s the perfect texture.
Yes! I LOVE Black Sesame anything!! Soup, rolls, tong yuan, etc. I can’t wait to make this Nami! ^_^
Wow. That ice cream looks intense. Great photography!
Wow the colour really draws you in! it is so dramatic, I just love it! I have never tried this flavour but I really want to…thanks for the great recipe!
This is incredible, Nami! Wow! I love, love flavor of black sesame seeds, but never thought about using it in the ice-cream! This is something completely new and very delicious looking photos! Congrats on the guest post!
I adore this, Nami. I bet the flavor is so rich, and I love the deep color. Well-done!!
Nami, your photography continues to astound me. Love that sort of eerie (in a good way!) blueish gray color! I love black sesame ice cream. Have you tried black sesame porridge? I make that from time to time.
I’m fairly certain I had something with black sesame paste while in China, but I can’t remember exactly what dish. I loved the nutty flavor! Beautiful styling, you played up the exquisite color of this ice cream perfectly!
What beautiful looking ice cream Nami and I love how you’ve presented it. Those little balls are perfect and gorgeous and the splash of green just finishes off the presentation beautifully. I can’t imagine the taste of this ice cream but I really love the colour xx
Oh wow! I would LOVE to try this because I got to taste this flavor of ice cream in a Korean restaurant and it was soooo good I couldn’t have enough of it
Dear Nami,
This post brings back so many fond memories of our jelly mould competition, I suddenly feel nostalgic all over again because you were with us all the way during that time.
We love black sesame for its flavour and also in Japanese desserts and I think this is such a beautiful let alone tasty end to a nice meal. I love your bowl and the way you have garnished this dessert.
http://chopinandmysaucepan.com/day-23-get-your-jelly-on-black-sesame-ice-cream-with-summer-berries
Nami, your black sesame ice cream is definitely perfect for this hot summer. Also, there are health benefits of eating black sesame. A great ice cream recipe. Thank you!
Your photos are gorgeous! Wow, this sounds sooo cool and unique! I mean, I`ve read it at restaurant menus before, but never gave them a chance. However, these look great!
Nami, I never heart of it, but it looks so damn gorgeous! What an color!!
More icecream…. I think I’m going to have to have an icecream when I finish work today. I like black sesame, the nutty flavour is great, thanks for another great icecream recipe Nami
Nami, I absolutely love black sesame ice cream! I wish I could have a big bowl right in front of me right now! Yours looks so creamy and smooth!
What stunning styling and colors Nami. That ice-cream looks out of the world!
You sure surprised me with this one and it is a pleasant surprise
We have black sesame seeds here but I am not sure it is the same thing, I can only imagine how interesting this icecream must be Nami
Amazing and surely heavenly tasting! Your recipes are always wonderful.
Cheers,
Rosa
I want, I want, hahaha! I’m like a big kid drooling all over now. Lol! Nami, u seemed to see only my giveaway announcements & missed other posts. Hope u’re not drooling over my giveaways. Hahaha!
I LOVE BLACK SESAME ICE CREAM! whenever I go to a japanese restaurant, if there’s ice cream on the menu, I will almos talways go for this. it’s my favourite favourite asian dessert flavour. I make my own black sesame paste, it”s really easy, just need to have freshly black sesame, some sweetener and a blender! I usually have it chinese tong sui style, a warm bowl of potage, using glutinous rice flour to thicken. now I know what to do with that paste to make it into ice cream!
You come up with the niftiest recipes. This ice cream looks rich and dark and delicious!
I loooove black sesame flavour! So delicious! And I love that you made your own ice-cream too!!! haha.. I’ve tried black sesame macarons and they’re soooo yummy.
Your ice cream takes the Sydney Asian shop ones to shame – it looks unreal!!!
Delicious and beautiful well done my friend
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
This must be the most incredible ice cream ever.
Mandy
This black ice cream is gorgeous! I love it!
I thought it was Blueberry ice cream
. I really miss visiting your site, and I know that I’ve missed so many beautiful posts Nami T___T. I love to use black sesame for my bento, but have never thought that it can be made into a really nice ice cream ^^
I have nothing but serious love for Asian-flavored ice creams. I’ve never tried black sesame but I want to greatly after reading this!
This is so interesting- I’ve never seen anything like it, but I’m sure it’s delicious
Nami I love this ice cream and I haven’t even tasted it yet. The color is beautiful. I can’t even imagine what it tastes like blended with cream and eggs. Do your children love it?
Always see something new here..so lovely
An unusual flavor to me but looks delicious and worth trying. The blue color is attracting me!
Nami, I saw this ice cream at the Spicie Foodie’s and was sitting there with my mouth open. It is such a beautiful and unique ice cream!! Gorgeously done!!
Nami, wow! What an incredible colour, and what an unusual flavour. What a talented lady you are!
Hey Nami! I’ve tasted all kinds of Asian ice cream and Popsicle, though never black sesame ones, so yes you definitely surprised me! It makes total sense though, with all the desserts I grew up eating for holidays and celebrations, black sesame is a big part of that…
So how have you been? I have not blogged for a long while, it will be my 200th posting so I wanted to share something worthy, also I have been lazy, hahah! I find it so much easier to just share on FaceBook, though it’s not the ideal way to keep track of recipes.
Better get my act together soon!
Yes you did surprise me with this one. I do have a friend that uses black sesame seeds in many baked goods sweet and savory. This ice cream looks amazing, very exotic! I will check out your post on Spice Foodie!
Woah! Very cool color! I’m not a frozen food fan, but my family is. I love how exotic this looks and I’m sure my family would love to try it!
Lovely photos and great recipe. I’ve always wanted to learn how to use black sesame in ice cream. Thanks for sharing another delightful treat, Nami! Hope you’re having a fun summer
These look delicious! i am going to try it. is one of my favourite ice cream.
I know this is delicious because I had it once when I was teaching in Japan. I often make ice cream in summer and always for birthdays. I bet this flavor of ice cream would be a hit with children at Halloween. It’s impossible to find the paste here but I do have a supply of black sesame seeds so I’ll use them and try to make the paste. Maybe the paste is available on amazon so I’ll check there too. Green tea ice cream is divine! Thanks so much the black sesame seed ice cream. Except for the paste, the ingredients are simple enough to find locally.
Wow! Nami, this is a wonderful flavor! I have never heard of it and I would really like to try it. I know about the green tea ice cream, I tried your red bean ice cream and now I think I would like to try this one too. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
My hats off to you Nami for another beautiful and delicious creation. Just the look of this ice cream instantly freezes the sorrounding especially with this hot, hot weather that we are having. Hope you are staying cool and having a great week, Nami!
Gorgeous photos! I’ve never had this ice cream but I would certainly love to try it
I neeeed an ice cream maker!
Beautiful!!..
Not only it sounds delicious but the pictures are awesome…
Loving everything about this post Nami!!
I have never tried this ice cream but now u have left me drooling…
I didn’t even know there was such a thing as sesame paste. What a cool ingredient and making an ice cream out of it sounds very exciting! I really like the color of this ice cream too!!!!
There’s something so seductive about this unique ice cream! Love it, Nami
i am intrigued! i am intrigued and impressed and sorta of jealous in a non-competitive your my friend kind of way:) seriously it looks so good and rich
How unique! I definitely have to give this a try, but I already know that I’m going to love it.
thats one gorgeous ice cream nami. your pics are also so good. i am following you on twitter, but i don’t get your updates.. twitter behaves strangely at times. so i have subscribed via email now.
i have never had japanese food in my life… i have a question… do you have any recipe that can be adapted to vegetarian or vegan with miso. i have so much of miso at home and i really don’t know what to do with it.
such a unique ice cream flavor! i’ve gotta try this!
Nami, this looks SO GOOD. I am a total ice cream addict and I cannot wait to try this!!!
Now that’s some unique flavor and color for ice cream. I would love to try this! Thanks for sharing, Nami!
What an interesting ice cream, Nami, I love the colour. I have black sesami seeds at home, but sadly I had planned to make hazelnut frozen yogurt for my dessert on Saturday night. Perhaps another time.
How unusual looking ice cream Nami..I LOVE that bowl..it would be a nice addition to my prop cupboard(*wink*). I have tried green matcha frozen yogurt once & sort of liked it. I have always learnt from my granny that black sesame is particularly useful for women coz they aid the body with haemoglobin formation. What a treat to eat black sesame..in a icecream..I wonder if there could be anything better to include them in my diet!
And yup..I forget..I love the styling ..grey & green with bluish tinge in pictures..looks gorgeous!
Before I head over to Nancy’s to see your guest post, just had to say how much I love, love these pictures!
Wow! You totally caught me by surprise with this ice cream flavor, but it’s just stunning. I’ve never had black sesame paste, but I adore sesame flavors.
I love the flavor of black sesame! (Especially in sweet desserts, and in goma-ae, which is also kind of sweet…) This post just convinced me to add an ice cream maker to my wish list.
Love, love, love black sesame ice cream!!! I always order it whenever we go to our favourite Japanese restaurant. Now I can make my own, thanks to your delicious recipe. Thanks Nami
ooo I want this so bad!! I am always on the lookout for ice cream recipe. Yes, please share how to make the paste. Going to hop over to look at your cherry ice-cream now!
Oh wow Nami! This ice cream and your photography here is just stunning! Such unique and creative flavors. You certainly bring ice cream to a very sophisticated level! : )
So many intriguing ice cream flavours, so little tummy space left.
It looks amazing, Nami.
I haven’t had sesame ice cream before. Very unusual and interesting!! Love the icecream shot.
This looks so mysterious and awesome. I have tried green tea ice cream, but I have never seen anything like this.
Hi Nami
I loves food with black sesame seeds…it just brings out the aroma taste in it. I have never came across using black sesame seeds making ice cream. Hmmm this must be alot yummy. I like to eat dessert. I have just made Black Sesame Seeds Pudding too ((Kuro Goma Purin, 黒ごまプリン).
Nami – you always have beautiful clicks but I think you out did yourself with these or maybe it’s the gorgeous ice cream! I don’t know, but I’m in love with the colors, the pictures and the ice cream recipe! I am gray and blue challenged, so I have to ask – is the ice cream really blue or is it dark gray? I have just move black sesame paste to the top of my must have list! I’ve got to make this!
Hi MJ! The ice cream is dark (or is it light?) gray, but might look bluish because of the bowl. It’s pretty accurate to real color actually.
Oh Nami! Your photos are beautiful! I love the sound of black sesame ice cream… it’s definitely on my to make list.
You are truly the best at your work Nami. I love it all. x
This looks incredibly delicious, Nami! Thank you for sharing.
Best,
Sihi
Wow ! The way this ice cream looks! Totally surreal and gorgeous! You are a very talented photographer !
Wow, this is one stunning ice cream, Nami! Beautiful AND delicious
Black sesame ice cream is pretty popular in Hong Kong, but I’ve never been bold enough to try it. Yours has inspired me to give it a go!
Wow, I am very curious of its taste. I’ve never tried something like this. It looks amazing.
Another wonderful flavour! I’ve not yet tried black sesame ice cream, but this sure looks wonderful! Another fantastic recipe from your collection.
ice cream looks so tempting
I simply love this series of photo, I feel so calm when seeing this ice cream..this is my little son favourite ice cream.
I love the color of this ice cream, Can’t belive we can make one with black sesame, looks fantastic…!!!
wow, what an exotic ice cream. beautiful pic too! that really looks too divine. wish the weather would warm up over here – not ice cream weather yet at all!!
Absolutely gorgeous looking pictures of your amazing ice cream – I have never tasted black sesame ice cream in my life, I had never even heard of it (although I use black sesame seeds in my baking) but it just looks so delicious, just fantastic!
I haven’t had like this looks wonderfully delicious
I’ve tried this flavour in Singapore before and love it! I wonder if the Japan centre in London sells the black sesame paste. It would make quite a different looking chiffon cake!
Oh, Nami! I would never have guessed kuro goma as the ingredient for your ice cream! It looks amazing! The color is gorgeous!
Nami,
This looks amazing!
I’ve only seen this kind of ice cream at the China Town Ice Cream Factory in NYC. You’ve inspired me to make some. You’ve been making some really cool ice creams recently!!
Beautiful ice-cream and a wonderful colour too… I can’t imagine what the flavour must be like… I don’t have much black sesame. Is it basically the same as regular sesame?
Looks delicious!
Nami, it’s the most beautiful and mysterious dessert photo I have seen for a very long time. I could look at it non stop, as if hypnotised.
Moreover, as a huge sesame fan, I’m sure I would love this ice-cream. Since I don’t have an ice-cream maker, I will maybe try another dessert with black sesame. Something tells me I would enjoy the black sesame in sweets too. I am really glad you have shared this recipe.
wow love the color and congrats on being in the babble list
I’ve never heard of this ice cream before! I love sesame and I’m intrigued. And I’m impressed that you can photograph even a grey ice cream so beautifully!
Mmmm… Now what I’d give for a scoop or two of those insanely delicious looking ice cream!!
This look soo good! Great for the hot weather here right now! I have to bookmark this recipe! Thanks for sharing! I love black sesame anything..and also love green tea anything.. LOL!
Love this post Nami! Thank you for opening my eyes to all the different tastes I’m missing.
Nice recipe! I’ve never tasted black sesame in a dessert, although I know it’s used this way. Love the color of the ice cream. And the photographs are wonderful – such a great color on the bowl, goes so well with the ice cream. Off to check out your post on Spicy Foodie.
I have tried Green Tea Ice Cream and Red Bean Ice Cream but never black sesame…in fact I haven’t seen that one before. The color is amazing!
I’m really enjoying these ice-cream posts
Black sesame yummmmm I never use to like it much but as I grow older lol I’m starting to really enjoy the tastes of black sesame ~ Too bad it’s so hard to find good black sesame ice-cream here in Melbourne…I’m not even sure if I can find the black sesame paste here damnnn
Nami – - this is more than fabulous! And the greyish color is so intriguing. Brava on this one!!
LL
I adore black sesame ice cream! Even more, I LOVE the way you styled that photo. Beautiful with the bowl in such a complimentary color.
Very interesting ice cream, I guest most Japanese ice creams are. I havent tried something like this but I tried the green tea as well as the chocolate wasabi ice cream. I cant wait to buy my ice cream maker so I can make flavours like this
Black sesame ice cream!!! That is my all time favourite ice cream! Just had it at a restaurant 2 nights ago…didn’t know it was so easy to make.
Fantastic recipe as usual! I wish we had national ice cream month here…maybe I’ll join in the fun anyway. 
Stunning! Simply stunning – black sesame is one of my favourite flavours (not so fond of green tea ice cream). Bookmarking this one for summer.
I love black sesame but never have it this way. Your ice cream looks so delicious!
Wow, this is gorgeous! I have not had black sesame, and never thought to have it in sweet treats. Sounds gorgeous! Hugs, Terra
This will probably end up being my favorite ice cream flavor, ever! I love this and loved the guest post
これ、すごい！絶対作ってみようっと。冷蔵庫に、同じ練ゴマを持ってるって、何かのサインじゃない？
写真もかなりきれいです。
コメントいつもありがとうね。
Nami – Do you do special Fedex delivery? Black sesame is one of my favorite flavors when comes to Japanese style ice cream! Oh gosh, they look so good! I just adore the way you captured the scoops.
Oh great another one to try. I actually made this one once a couple of years back after tasting this flavor in a Korean restaurant. So so good. Thanks for sharing.
Black sesame is my all time favourite ice cream. There’s always room for dessert when its on the menu
I can’t wait to see your black sesame paste recipe 
Oh my! This got my attention. How cool is this. I can’t wait to try it. I have a ton of black sesame at the house just waiting to be made in to ice cream.
This is so cool. I must try this asap.
This looks sensational! The styling is also fabulous Nami! How on earth did you get the ice cream to behave as well as it did?
I love this!!! So fantastic.
Thnks for the recipe. Hv bn wanting to make this for ages.
I love black sesame ice cream! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m going to pin it for later reference. Need t get some items before I can start making it.
Black sesame is one of my favourite flavours! Just bookmarked this – definitely must try it. Sounds like there is a strong robust black sesame flavour =)
I would like to say that your recipe for Black Sesame Ice Cream is out of this world! I made up the black sesame paste first and then, the ice cream – better than our local Japanese restaurant. I have printed off the red bean, the green tea and strawberry frozen yogurt. I plan to get some different kinds made for this weekend’s retreat. Thanks so much for such fabulous eats!
First of all – this ice cream looks so delicious. Sesame is one of my favorite flavors to cook with – but I have never tried it in dessert. Looking forward to it! Secondly, AWESOME website. It’s so appealing!! Your pictures are beautiful, and the whole site is so easy to navigate.
Hi Nami,
I tried this recipe and it is the best idiot-proof Black Sesame Ice Cream recipe I’ve come across with your step-by-step pictures.
It taste so good, just like the stuff I buy at restaurants or Gelato cafes!
Am looking forward to trying out some more of your recipes!
Hi Julie! I’m glad to hear my step-by-step pictures were helpful.
I sometimes feel like giving up taking them because it’s time consuming, but thanks to readers’ feedback like yours, I haven’t given up. 
Thank you so much for trying this recipe and I’m glad you enjoyed this ice cream! Thanks for following my blog!
I tried black sesame ice cream for the first time at a Japanese restaurant in the UK a few months ago. I was stuffed, but figured a small bit of ice cream wouldn’t hurt… Turned out to be the most amazing ice cream I’d ever tasted.
This recipe is exactly what I ate there. Really clear instructions – did the prep on Saturday morning, chilled overnight and froze it Sunday morning. 6pm and it’s nearly ready to eat. Superb recipe and incredibly tasty!
Thank you so much for the recipe!!
Hi Steve! I’m glad that your first taste of black sesame ice cream lead you to make your own at home. So happy to hear about my step-by-step pictures being helpful. I hope you will give it a try my green tea ice cream too, as it’s one of my favorite recipe on my blog.
Thank you for taking your time to giving me feedback!
Thank you for this recipe. I made it and it tastes fantastic.
Ps. I posted about this recipe on my blog, crediting you of course and linking back to your page. I hope you don’t mind. Thanks again!
Thank you MissC! I shared your link on my FB fan page.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Nami-san!
I love your recipes, and they always turn out perfectly
I loved your kurogoma ice cream, and I also made a variation with kinako as well.
Thank you for the wonderful recipes!
Hi Aya-san! Thank you for trying this recipe and I’m glad it went well! Kinako version sounds delicious too! I’m happy to hear you enjoy my recipes. Thank you for taking time to write your feedback.
Ohhh Nami, thank you thank you thank you!!! Love this post! Love your blog!
Thank you so much Dewi!
This recipe looks delicious and I’d like to try it. I was wondering if the ice-cream maker you used was one of the cheaper Cuisinart type $50-60 models or one of those expensive $400 ice cream makers. Do you think that the difference in price makes a difference in the quality of the finished product.
Hi Cheryl,
No, I don’t have such expensive ice cream maker.
Mine is this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003KYSLMW/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003KYSLMW&linkCode=as2&tag=jusonecoo-20
I don’t think it makes a huge difference. I really like mine and enjoyed using it.
this sounds wonderful. would love to try it!
I’ve made this ice cream twice. My mom requested this for desert for this Mother’s Day.
Instead of eggs, I substituted with cornstarch because I just don’t feel comfortable with the uncooked eggs.
Thank you for this great recipe. I have a feeling this is going to be a favorite when friends andfamily gathers a my place.
Hi Amanda! Thank you so much for writing your feedback. I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and I’m glad to find out that it works without eggs. Thank you for trying this recipe!
Oh, I forgot to mention that I used your homemade black sesame paste instead of the store brought one. Homemade taste so much better than the store brought.
Thanks Amanda! It’s always nice to know we can make it from scratch rather than store bought which sometimes has preservatives and other unnecessary things.
Thank you once again! xo
Sorry to butt in, but how much cornstarch did you use? I’m not so sure about making it with eggs just yet.. Thank you!
I adore your blog, Nami
Inspires me to cook!
I used 4 Tablespoon of cornstarch. Add it to the milk and heat, stirring until the mixture thickens.
I agree. Nami inspires me to create in the kitchen.
Thanks so much for answering! And thank you for the kind words! xo
Thanks Christine! I love that readers can talk to each other.