Black sesame흑임자

Heugimja is roasted black sesame. It has a deep, nutty, slightly heavy flavor and a striking black color. Koreans have long used it in rice cakes and porridge.

This fall it has moved into lattes, granita, gelato and cakes, and into Lotte Wellfood's Chaltteok Ice: black sesame ice cream with injeolmi (roasted soybean) syrup inside, wrapped in chewy rice cake.

The Lotte ice cream is based on a black sesame dessert the cast created on the tvN show Uju Tteokjip, where they ran a rice-cake shop in Goheung, South Jeolla. Lotte said on September 9 that the first batch of about 500,000 sold out in five days, and online pre-orders sold out in 18 hours, so it ordered extra production.

Café chains joined in: Pascucci launched six black sesame items (three drinks, three desserts), Hollys added a black sesame butter cream latte, and Ediya released a Kuromi black sesame cream latte.

Lotte's Chaltteok Ice black sesame injeolmi (찰떡아이스 IN 우주떡집 흑임자인절미) is sold at convenience stores and large supermarkets in Korea, though it has been hard to find. For a traditional bite, Gongju Tteokjip in Apgujeong, Seoul is known for its black sesame injeolmi. Café menus at Pascucci, Hollys and Ediya are seasonal, so check before you go.

At home: stir black sesame paste or powder and a little honey into warm milk for a latte, or roll small rice cakes in ground roasted black sesame.