Black Sesame Ice Cream

In a heavy saucepan over low heat, combine the milk, cream and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks until combined. Whisking constantly, slowly add a third of the milk mixture to the yolks. Whisking constantly, pour the yolk mixture back into the pan with the milk mixture. Return the pan to medium-low heat and cook gently until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 170°F/77°C on an instant-read thermometer), about 5 minutes.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and add the sesame paste. Freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions; the sesame paste will become incorporated into the ice cream as it churns. Transfer the ice cream to a freezer-safe container. Cover and freeze until firm, at least 3 hours or up to 3 days, before serving.

To serve, spoon the ice cream into individual bowls and garnish with the sesame seeds. Makes about 1 quart. Serves 4.

Sylvan Mishima Brackett, chef/owner, Izakaya Rintaro, San Francisco, CA