Black Sesame Latte Recipe

Toast the seeds

Place 0.75 cups black sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring or shaking the pan frequently, for 3–5 minutes until they become fragrant and slightly pop. Remove from heat immediately to avoid burning and let cool for 5 minutes.

Grind to a powder

Transfer the cooled sesame seeds to a spice grinder or high-speed blender. Grind in short pulses until you achieve a fine, sandy texture. Scrape down the sides as needed to ensure even grinding.

Make a paste

Move the ground sesame back to the blender or a small food processor. Add 2 tbs granulated sugar, 1 tbs light brown sugar, 1 tsp neutral oil, 3 tbs hot water, and 1/8 tsp sea salt. Process or blend until the mixture becomes a smooth, spreadable paste. If too thick, add an extra 1 tsp hot water at a time until you reach a thick, pourable consistency. Taste and adjust sweetness or salt as desired. This yields more paste than required; store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 weeks.

Warm the milk

Pour 2 cups milk into a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until steaming and small bubbles form at the edges (do not boil), about 3–5 minutes. Alternatively, heat in the microwave in 30-second bursts until steaming.

Mix paste with hot milk

Place 3 tbs black sesame paste in a heatproof container or the bottom of two serving mugs. Add 1 tsp sweetener (if using) and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (if using). Pour about 2–3 tablespoons of the hot milk over the paste and whisk vigorously or use an immersion blender/frother to dissolve the paste completely into a smooth slurry. This step prevents lumps.

Combine and froth

Pour the remaining hot milk into the container or divide between the mugs, whisking or frothing as you go to incorporate air and create a light foam. If you prefer iced, cool the milk slightly, pour over ice, and skip frothing.

Serve

Taste and adjust sweetness. Spoon any remaining foam over the top and sprinkle 1/2 tsp toasted black sesame seeds as a garnish. Serve immediately.