Black Sesame Ice Cream (Japanese Kurogoma)

One of the most popular ice cream flavors in Japan is black sesame. It’s not an intense dark black, but rather it has a deep rich black color with hints of brown and red from the black sesame paste. The flavor is nutty with a slight sweetness from the sugar. This Japanese black sesame ice cream can be made with just 5 simple ingredients and with or without an ice cream maker!

There are many different brands of black sesame ice cream, but none compare to homemade black sesame ice cream! The flavor is fresh and unique from other flavours you’ve tasted before making it a must-try for any fan of Japanese culture or creative desserts in Japan.

This recipe for black sesame ice cream is amazing, especially when you are craving both sweet and salty flavours. This is a refreshing and memorable dessert- perfect for your next hot summer day or as an after-dinner treat.

Be careful though – black sesame has been known to be addictive!

What Is Kurogoma?

Kurogoma means black sesame in Japanese. It is a common and key ingredient in Japanese and Asian cuisines for making sweet and savoury dishes. Kurogoma is often used to make black sesame ice cream. This is a popular dessert in Japanese/Asian restaurants. The black sesame seeds deliver a roasted nuttiness and an earthy but sweet flavour. It is so delicious and perfect to eat after a nice Japanese dinner.

Kurogoma ice cream is made from a vanilla ice cream base mixed with black sesame paste (neri goma) to give it a tasty flavour and dark grey/black colour. You can sprinkle some black or white sesame seeds on top and enjoy it on a hot summer day or just as a delicious snack!

Why You Will Love Black Sesame Ice Cream

Have you ever craved both sweet and salty at the same time? This is the perfect way to satiate both cravings at the same time. The cold and creamy ice cream is enriched by the nutty black sesame paste.

It’s the same combination of flavours that makes salted caramel so popular. Even if you have never tried these two tastes together, you have to try it. One taste will convert you to a true fan.

This ice cream is really easy to make; especially with an ice cream maker. You can make it without an ice cream maker, but you have to keep mixing it every few hours. That’s what I had to do after my KitchenAid ice-cream-making bowl got stuck on the stand mixer!

The ice cream does take a while to make because it needs to freeze and set for a few hours so it should be made in advance. You can just keep it in a container in the freezer or you can pour the ice cream mixture into popsicle moulds or a loaf pan.

These will make great treats on a hot afternoon during the summer. I always like to order Kurogoma ice cream for dessert when I go out to a Japanese restaurant, or sometimes matcha green tea ice cream because it’s always so delicious.

This recipe makes the ice cream taste just like the restaurant version and is much cheaper!

Ingredients In Kurogoma Ice Cream

There are five simple ingredients in this delicious dessert recipe. Here is a bit more information about what I used.

• Soy Milk: I used Bon soy milk. It has the best texture for the ice cream.
• Double Cream: This will make it taste extra rich and give it a creamier texture. Double cream contains more fat than heavy cream which makes the rich creaminess. However, it can be replaced with heavy cream. 
• Egg Yolks: You need just the egg yolks (no whites) for this ice cream.
• Caster Sugar: This super-fine granulated sugar will dissolve the best in the ice cream.
• Black Sesame Paste: This is what gives the ice cream the nutty undertones. If you can’t find black sesame paste, you can make it yourself. Toast some whole black sesame seeds in a pan until they release a strong nutty aroma (make sure not to burn them). Transfer to a food processor or blender and mix on a quick pulse setting just until it becomes a fine powder. Add 3-4 tablespoons of honey to make a paste.

What To Serve With Japanese Ice Cream

This sweet and savory ice cream tastes the best with bright and fresh fruity flavours. You can also serve it with your favourite pastries!

If you are eating this at lunch, then serve it with a light fruit sandwich. It’s the perfect combination. Or, serve it with some kanten fruit jelly as a refreshing summertime dessert.

Raindrop cake is another one of my favorite types of desserts. It is crystal clear and melts in your mouth. It is very sweet and will complement the saltiness of this ice cream in the best way.

Black sesame ice cream is also a common and popular mochi ice cream flavour. You can easily make mochi at home and fill it with this delicious ice cream. Or sandwich a scoop of the ice cream between two soft cookies and make a nutty and sweet ice cream cookie sandwich.

Frequently Asked Questions About Black Sesame Ice Cream

Here are some questions people often ask me about this black sesame ice cream.

More Japanese Dessert Recipes

If you enjoyed this black sesame ice cream, then here are some more Japanese desserts that you should try next.

• Castella Pudding Cake
• Japanese Chiffon Cake
• Sakura Mochi
• Strawberry Shortcake Cake
• Green Tea Ice Cream

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