Calling it now-- black sesame paste a.k.a. black tahini is about to have a moment. I love the Japanese and Taiwanese versions, which tend to be lightly sweetened with honey or sugar and the seeds toasted before being ground, adding even more depth of flavor. Black sesame paste tastes like peanut butter but way more intense and will make all your food look goth in the best possible way. I’ve found it at Sunrise Mart, H Mart or Mitsuwa but you can obviously find it online as well. How to use it? The sky’s the limit, but my formula has generally been: good dessert + black sesame paste = even better dessert. Swirled into homemade ice cream, added to the filling of plush cinnamon buns, but best of all, mixed into nostalgic, chewy, perfect brown butter Rice Krispie treats.
