Fruit jelly

2 cans of fruit with syrup
fresh mint leaves (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice
4 tsp of gelatine
4 tbsp cold water

Put the gelatine in a bowl and add water. Allow it to dissolve for a few minutes and then put in the microwave and heat on high for 30 seconds.

Put the mint leaves in a container and the fruit on top. Pour the syrup into a separate bowl. Add lemon juice to the syrup as well as the dissolved gelatine and mix well. Then pour it over the top of the fruit in the container.

Place in the refrigerator until set.

* Use 4 teaspoons of gelatine for every 200 ml of juice. If the juice is less than 200 ml, make up to 200 ml with water.
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Black sesame pudding

This is a similar recipe to vanilla custard pudding without vanilla, and using black sesame paste instead. For how to make the paste, click here.

2-3 tbsp sugar (depending on desired sweetness)
5 tbsp corn flour
500 ml milk
1 tbsp black sesame paste

1. In a saucepan, blend sugar, corn flour and milk together. Slowly bring to boil over low heat, mixing continuously with a whisk until thick.

2. Thoroughly mix in the sesame paste at the end and pour into bowls. Let cool and then put in the refrigerator. Serve when chilled.


Notes:
To avoid pudding from forming a skin layer during cooling, rest cling wrap or other plastic directly on the cooling pudding surface.
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Black Sesame Paste

[Gluten free - wheat free recipe]

100 g black sesame seeds (toasted)



Black sesame seeds in the blender


After the first blend


More blending


Keep blending until the oil starts to come out


Black sesame paste


The trick with this is to keep grinding/blending the toasted sesame repeatedly, over and over, until you get the oil coming out. The more you grind it, the more oil you get, until you have a nice paste. It's amazing how it changes into an oily paste.

Try mixing a little of the paste with some vanilla ice cream... Actually, I got inspired after eating Haagen Dazs Black Sesame ice cream!


Black sesame paste mixed with vanilla ice cream
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Homemade vanilla custard

[Gluten free - wheat free recipe]

Vanilla custard powder isn't common in Japan, but it's pretty easy to make yourself.

Here's how to make it:

2-3 tbsp sugar (depending on desired sweetness)
4 tbsp corn flour (use 1 or 2 tbsp more for thicker custard)
500 ml milk
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla essence


1. In a saucepan, blend sugar, corn flour and milk together. Slowly bring to boil over low heat, mixing continuously with a whisk until thick.

2. Lightly beat the yolks in a separate bowl and mix in 6 tablespoons of the hot custard. Blend thoroughly, then stir the yolk mixture and vanilla essence into the remaining custard.

3. Heat for a further 1-2 minutes or until thick, stirring continuously.


Notes:
Tastes nice hot or cold. You can use fewer egg yolks or leave them out completely and it's still nice. The egg yolk helps to give the custard a nice yellow colour and gives it a richer taste.

For a chocolate custard, melt in one of those 65g blocks of Japanese chocolate instead of using vanilla and eggs.
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