Crispy Pan-Fried Black Sesame Tangyuan with Ginger Brown-Sugar Caramel and Ice Cream

Method

1. Toast the sesame in a dry 20 cm frying pan over medium-low heat for 4 min, stirring, until it smells nutty and a few seeds pop. Tip it onto a plate to cool.

   Add in this stepBlack sesame seeds (raw) 40 g

   medium-low heat

2. Grind the cooled sesame with the filling sugar until it looks like damp sand, then mix in the butter to make a dark paste. Freeze for 15 min until firm, roll into 10 balls of 1.5 cm and freeze them again.

   Add in this stepSugar (for the filling) 30 gSoft unsalted butter 20 g

3. Add the warm water to the glutinous rice flour a little at a time and knead into a dough as soft as an earlobe. If it cracks, add a few drops of water; if it sticks, a little more flour. Cut into 10 pieces and cover with a damp cloth.

   Add in this stepGlutinous rice flour 100 gWarm water (about 40 °C) 90 ml

4. Press each piece into a 6 cm cup, wrap a frozen filling ball inside, pinch to seal and roll into a ball. Seal the seams especially well so they don't burst in the pan.

5. Bring a 20 cm pot two-thirds full of water to a rolling boil on high heat, add the tangyuan and stir gently along the bottom at once. When it boils again, lower to medium heat and cook for 3 min, lifting them out about 1 minute after they float. Spread them on a clean tea towel and pat them completely dry; any water left on them will make the oil spit.

   high heat→medium heat

6. Put the brown sugar, caramel water and grated ginger in a small 14 cm saucepan and cook on medium heat for 3 min until it bubbles with big, thick bubbles, then take it off the heat. Stir in the cream and salt a little at a time to make a smooth caramel. It foams up hard when the cream goes in and the sugar is very hot, so keep your face back.

   Add in this stepBrown sugar 35 gWater (for the caramel) 2 tbspFresh ginger, finely grated 8 gDouble (heavy) cream 35 mlSalt 1 pinch

   medium heat

7. Heat the oil in a 24 cm nonstick frying pan on medium heat until it shimmers. Press each tangyuan gently into a thick disc, lay them in with space between and fry for 6 min, turning, until golden and crisp on all sides. A ball that splits can spit hot oil and filling, so keep a lid close by and don't crowd the pan.

   Add in this stepNeutral oil 1½ tbsp

   medium heat

8. Arrange the fried tangyuan on plates, add a scoop of ice cream per serving, drizzle with the warm ginger caramel and serve at once.

   Add in this stepVanilla ice cream (scoops) 2