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Black Sesame Ice Cream is an easy, no-churn dessert recipe that’s as delicious as it is unique. This authentic Japanese-style ice cream recipe is slightly savory, slightly sweet, nutty, bold, and completely scrumptious.
If you’ve never had black sesame ice cream, you’re really missing out! It’s a popular dessert in Japan, and once you try it, it’s not hard to see why it’s so popular there.
The black color of the ice cream makes it stand out among other traditional ice cream flavors, and the nutty, almost savory yet sweet flavor of it really makes an impression. I’ll just say this – I’ve never been able to just have one scoop!
Black sesame anything is my favorite thing in the world. The flavor is incredible and I wish there was a better way to describe it other than deep roasted nuttiness. It’s such a unique flavor that I think everyone has to try at some point.
The best part of this ice cream recipe? It’s NO-CHURN!
I’m not afraid to cut corners when I can, and churning ice cream is a corner I actively try to cut. This recipe allows you to skip all that time and labor of churning, and instead, you just have to whip everything together before freezing it for about 6 hours. I know that may seem like a while, but trust me, it beats churning for the same amount of time.
Something special I add to this recipe to help it really stand out is toasting the black sesame seeds prior to using them.
Toasting the seeds really enhances the fragrance, crunchy texture, and nuttiness of the seeds, which gives the ice cream an extra boost of sesame flavor. I hate when I order black sesame ice cream and I can barely taste the sesame, so I made sure that wouldn’t be a complaint here.
This treat is rich with black sesame flavor!
Ingredients
- Heavy cream – You’re going to use the heavy cream to make whipped cream, which gives the ice cream its delightfully smooth and creamy texture.
- Condensed milk – Condensed milk has low water content and high fat content, so it helps the ice cream to reach creamier and softer texture for easy scooping. It also helps the ice cream to not freeze too much or become “icy” in your freezer.
- Vanilla extract – Vanilla extract helps to add both sweetness and depth to the flavor of the ice cream.
- Black sesame seeds – Remember, you’ll want to toast the seeds prior to using to achieve the absolute best flavor and texture!
- Salt – The tiniest sprinkle of kosher or flaky sea salt is all you need.
Where can I find black sesame seeds?
They’re pretty prevalent everywhere now, but if you can’t find them at your local grocery store, check your local Asian grocery store or international mart.
Why should I toast black sesame seeds?
Toasting black sesame seeds is recommended to enhance the fragrance, crunch texture, and nuttiness of the seeds, giving your ice cream an extra boost of flavor. To cool the seeds quicker after toasting, place them on a flat surface (i.e. plate or small baking tray) and chill in the fridge.
What if I want a more mellow black sesame taste?
While I love a bold taste of black sesame, not everyone does.
This recipe makes no-churn ice cream with a bold taste of black sesame, which balances the smoky, nutty, and slightly bitter taste of the black sesame with the sweetness from the condensed milk. If you prefer a more mellow taste of black sesame, reduce the amount used to ½ cup. This will not alter the texture of the ice cream. You will still end up with creamy ice cream but with more subtle taste of black sesame seeds and lighter color. The sweetness from the condensed milk will also be more pronounced in this altered version.
Why should I use condensed milk instead of regular milk?
Why use condensed milk? Since condensed milk has low water content and high fat content, it helps the ice cream to reach creamier and softer texture for easy scooping. It also helps the ice cream to not freeze too much or become “icy” in your freezer.
How long will black sesame ice cream stay fresh?
I love how long this ice cream stays fresh!
In an airtight container in the freezer, this ice cream will stay fresh for up to 6 weeks. That’s plenty of time to enjoy a scoop or two!
What kinds of toppings go well with black sesame ice cream?
I love tossing some extra toasted black sesame seeds onto my scoops!
However, there are plenty of other toppings you can go for as well. Toasted nuts such as almonds, cashews, or macadamia nuts are all delicious and give this great texture!
A drizzle of condensed milk on top is decadent and lovely as well!
Scoop your heart out with these other delicious homemade ice cream recipes!
Espresso Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Peach and Toasted Almond Ice Cream
Black Sesame Ice Cream (No-Churn)
Ingredients
- 2 cups (473 ml) heavy cream, chilled
- 300 ml sweetened condensed milk, chilled
- 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (150 g) black sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon salt
The default measuring system for this website is US Customary. Unit conversions are provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. While we strive to provide accurate unit conversions, please be aware that there may be some discrepancies.
Instructions
- In a medium frying pan over low heat, toast black sesame seeds until hot throughout and fragrant (approximately 10 – 12 minutes). Stir with spatula every so often so seeds do not burn. When they start to smell like hot oil and are hot to the touch, take the pan off the heat. Transfer seeds to a bowl / plate and let cool completely.
- In a large mixing bowl and using hand or stand mixer set to medium-high speed, whip the heavy cream for 3-4 minutes. When the cream starts to form very soft peaks (not enough to hold its shape), add salt and the vanilla extract, and continue whipping for another 3 minutes or until medium peaks form. The trails in the cream should be visible but with slightly softened peaks. Cover and chill the whipped cream in the fridge until ready to use.
- Place the cooled sesame seeds (should be more or less room temperature) into a blender or food processor and pulse, adding 1 tbsp of cold water between pulsing until they release their oil and form a thick paste (you will need roughly 3 tbsp of cold water). The texture of the paste will be coarse and grainy.
- Add chilled condensed milk into blender and pulse again until fully mixed.
- Take the bowl of whipped cream from refrigerator and gently fold in the black sesame mixture until thoroughly combined.
- Pour ice cream mixture into loaf pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in freezer for at least 6 hours (overnight preferred).
Recipe Notes
NUTRITION FACTS
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe.