I have always loved the deep nutty flavor of black sesame. When I went to Cha-an teahouse in New York City many years ago and tried their black sesame crème brulée, I could not get over how amazing the combination was! While crème brulée may feel a bit daunting to some, panna cotta is quick and simple to make and also provides a smooth, creamy base for the flavor of black sesame to shine.
For the black sesame panna cotta, milk is steeped with toasted black sesame, the mixture is blended together, and then infused into the cream for the recipe. The black sesame is then strained out to ensure the panna cotta still has a smooth and silky texture. This recipe uses a mix of yogurt and heavy cream in the panna cotta, which contributes a slightly tangy flavor. You can experiment with this by using greek yogurt instead of regular yogurt, using crème fraiche, or using a different combination of milk and heavy cream.
To complement some of the savory notes of the black sesame, I drizzled a quick brown sugar syrup reminiscent of the syrup used for brown sugar bubble tea over each panna cotta, adding just the right amount of sweetness and a nice caramel flavor. The process of making this is also quite satisfying–the smell of the toasted sesame is wonderful and the moment of unmolding the panna cotta on a plate can’t be beat.
Black Sesame Panna Cotta
Cuisine: Cakes and custardsDifficulty: Quick bake6
servings30
minutes8
hoursFor this black sesame panna cotta, black sesame seeds are toasted and infused in milk. The result is an incredibly creamy panna cotta with notes of roasted sesame. The panna cotta is not very sweet so I highly recommend using the brown sugar syrup to complement the flavors–and depending on the sweetness level you like you can adjust how much you pour over the top.
Ingredients
- For the panna cotta
1 1/4 tsp powdered gelatin
1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp black sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups plain whole milk yogurt or greek yogurt
- For the brown sugar syrup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup water
1/4 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- For the panna cotta
- In a small bowl, place 2 Tbsp of water and sprinkle the gelatin on top. Let sit for about 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the black sesame seeds in pan over medium low heat until they become fragrant, stirring occasionally. Set 1 Tbsp of black sesame aside as a garnish for serving the panna cotta.
- Place the remaining toasted sesame seeds in a blender with 1/2 cup of milk and pulse until the sesame seeds are broken up into fine pieces. It’s okay if a few bigger bits remain, since we’ll strain them out later.
- In a medium-sized saucepan, add the heavy cream, sugar, and the sesame milk mixture. Stir occasionally on low heat until the sugar dissolves and the cream begins to simmer. Turn off the heat, stir in the gelatin (make sure your mixture is fully off the heat and not at a boil when you’re adding this) and let sit for 10 minutes for the black sesame flavor to infuse into the cream.
- Strain the mixture and whisk in the yogurt until smooth and no clumps remain. Fill a larger bowl or pan with ice and water and place the mixture over the ice bath. Stir until the mixture has slightly thickened, and when you run your finger across the spoon or spatula, it leaves a clear trail. Pour into 3/4 cup ramekins, small glasses, or small coffee cups and place in the refrigerator. Let chill overnight.
- For the Syrup
- Add the brown sugar and water to a pan. Gently simmer for approximately five minutes, swirling the pan occasionally until the syrup is slightly thickened. Make sure it is just simmering and not boiling, as you don’t want to make caramel, which will harden after it cools.
- Stir in the vanilla and let the syrup cool to room temperature. You can cover and leave the syrup at room temperature until you’re ready to serve the panna cotta.
- To serve
- You can serve the panna cotta in the molds and spoon the syrup on top and sprinkle over some additional toasted sesame seeds. To unmold the panna cotta, place the ramekin in just-boiled water for approximately 5 seconds and then flip over. Depending on whether you used a glass or ceramic cup, you may need to allow it to sit in the water just a couple of seconds longer. Then spoon the syrup over the top and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
- The ice bath helps to suspend the small pieces of black sesame in the mixture and prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the panna cotta.
- If you only have sheet gelatin, check out this article from King Arthur Baking for details on substituting.
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