Black Tahini Ice Cream and a Bullet Cake

Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.

—Francis Bacon, The Essays

Two recipes on a theme, vindication. The first, a blacker-than-black sesame ice cream, taken from Wild Sweetness, that screams in substance, salt, and strength. The second, a cake so familiar in form yet foreign in taste—licorice, providing the charcoal heft that bolsters the chocolate crumb. The culmination, a Jekyll and Hyde chain-effect that takes place on the palate; transforming from light to dark, maiden to mother, and innocence to Bittersweet, I wrote it into existence.  

BLACK TAHINI BRITTLE ICE CREAM

From Wild Sweetness (Harper Design, 2021) 

For the ice cream

1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream, 1 ½ cups (360 ml) whole milk, ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (125 g) granulated sugar, 4 large egg yolks, ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (140 g) black tahini

For the brittle

¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1/3 cup + 1 teaspoon (50 g) black sesame seeds, a good pinch of flaked or smoked salt (for finishing)

To make the ice cream, pour the cream and milk into a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, in a separate heatproof bowl, whisk together the sugar, yolks, and black tahini until thick and well-combined. Slip a stream of the hot liquids into the yolk bowl, whisking constantly as its incorporated, then whisk in another. Pour it all back into the saucepan that’s set on the stove. Continue to cook, stirring slowly with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of it—it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Remove, and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large heatproof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing tight to the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cold, at least 8 hours, but preferably, overnight.

When you’re ready to churn, place a container or aluminum loaf pan in the freezer. Remove the custard and give it a good stir to loosen. Scrape it into an ice cream machine, and churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It should be thick, creamy, and almost doubled in volume when it’s done. Extract into the container, then cover, and freeze until firm before serving—a few hours. Meanwhile, make the brittle.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease the surface with a little vegetable or neutral oil. Put the sugar and ¼ cup (60 ml) of water into a deep saucepan. Cook, over medium heat, until it has reached a boil and begun to take on a honeyed-hue around the edges of the pan. Tip in the black sesame seeds. Continue to cook, until evenly amber in color, about 3 more minutes. Immediately tip the mixture out and onto the prepared sheet, roughly tapping it on the counter to flatten the hot mass into an even layer. Flourish with salt. Stand until hard before snapping into shards, or pounding fine, then serving it with the ice cream.

This is best eaten within the week, kept in the coldest part of the freezer. The brittle should be sealed in an airtight container and stored in a cool, dark, place.

LICORICE CAKE

Adapted from Bittersweet (Harvest 2026)

For the cake

1/3 cup (85 g) soft black licorice (finely chopped), 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup + 1 teaspoon (45 g) Dutch processed cocoa powder or Carbon Black cocoa powder (plus more for the pan), 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, a pinch of ground star anise , 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (135 g) sour cream, ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (130 g) unsalted butter (melted), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the ganache

¾ cup (130 g) 70% dark chocolate (finely chopped), ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (210 ml) heavy cream, ½ tablespoon molasses or treacle

Adjust a rack to the middle of the oven, then preheat it to 350 F (180C). Generously grease a 5-cup capacity Bundt pan with softened butter. Dust it with cocoa powder, then tap out the excess.

Put the licorice into a medium saucepan, along with 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Gently simmer, stirring with a rubber spatula and smoothing often, until the licorice has dissolved into a sheened charcoal liquid. It will take some time for it disappear—turn on the music and fall into the rhythm. Top up with a little more water as needed to prevent the concoction from catching as it reduces. Transfer to a blender and whir on low speed until homogenized. Pass it through a fine-mesh sieve and into a medium bowl, then re-measure. You’ll need 1 cup (240 ml) of the licorice liquid. If you come just under, add in enough hot water to replenish the amount back to the total called for.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and star anise into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar, then push the ingredients aside to form a well in the middle. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, butter, and vanilla. Pour into the well, then whisk until thick and smooth. Whisk in a little of the licorice liquid to loosen, then add the rest, whisking, until uniform. Pour into the prepared pan, filling it no more than a few inches from the top (sometimes I like to use Bundt pans in all sorts of shapes and sizes and will have some batter left-over after filling, so you can transfer the excess into another mold, and adjust time accordingly). 

Bake for 50 minutes to an hour, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove and stand in the pan for 10 minutes, then pry the edges—you don’t want the crumb tearing as it comes out. Tenderly unmold the cake onto a wire rack, then leave to cool completely. Once cool, trim the domed bottom with a sharp serrated knife.

To make the ganache, put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Combine the cream and molasses or treacle in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, swirling occasionally over medium heat, then pour it all over the chocolate. Let the mixture stand for a minute to acclimatize, then stir slowly with a rubber spatula until smooth. Transfer to a high-powered blender, and blitz for a handful of seconds until silky-smooth, slightly thick, and aerated. Scrape into a pouring jug or cup with a lip. 

Position the cake onto a rimmed plate. Pour the ganache over the top, concentrating the action in the crevices then dragging it over so that it drips down the sides, then let it settle and cling to the crumb—you could even adorn the top with a little of the leftover black sesame brittle (recipe above), if desired.

This cake is best eaten soon after making, but can be kept tightly wrapped at room temperature for 2-3 days.