Ube Halaya
Ube Halaya topped with latik (coconut curd) is probably one of the easiest desserts you can make. This purple yam delicacy is a Filipino favorite with its authentic ube taste and can also serve as a snack.
You might have noticed that I haven’t posted for some weeks. Well, the reason is that we went home to the Philippines to spend Christmas and New Year with our families. And boy was it a blast! I’m really happy that I had a chance to cook for them including this dessert.
How to get the perfect purple hue?
I could easily make this here in Paris, but I wanted to use real ube that I buy from the market I used to go to frequently when still living in the Philippines. You can also use frozen grated ube as an alternative. The rich purple hue comes out naturally as you cook the purple yam especially if it’s ube from the Philippines. I notice that when I buy it here in Paris, the end result is lighter in color but taste the same nonetheless. You can add a bit of purple food coloring if you fancy or a few drops of ube extract.
What toppings goes well with ube halaya?
The most common topping that works best are coconut curd or grated cheese. Either way, I’m sure you will enjoy whichever you choose to top it off with. For the coconut curd or latik you can find the procedure in my kapit recipe.
It’s not just for dessert.
Did I mention that you can also have this for a snack? Not only that, this purple yam goody is used as halo-halo or ice-cream topping. Me and my husband also enjoy this as filling for bread like pandesal. You can also make it a day ahead if you’re planning to serve it on a special occasion so you don’t have to worry about what dessert to make along with your other dishes. Give this ube dessert a try! And experience a rich and authentic ube flavored dessert!
Tips for Ube Halaya
- If you can’t get any fresh ube or purple yam. You can use frozen grated ube that you can buy from Asian stores.
- Although optional, using ube extract or flavoring helps make the color of ube more vivid and improves the taste too.
- You can keep the dessert for three days in the fridge as long as it is kept in a proper container.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
You might also like:
- Rich and creamy Maja Blanca
- Suman sa Lihiya
- Cassava Cake
Ube Halaya
Ingredients
- 1 kilo fresh ube (purple yam) or frozen grated ube (boiled / if using frozen let thaw)
- 3 cups water (for boiling the ube)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 can (14 ounces) condense milk
- ⅔ cups fresh milk
- 2 cups coconut milk
- ½ cup 125 grams butter
- 1 tsp salt
- coconut oil or butter (for greasing tin molds)
Instructions
- First, wash the fresh ube (purple yam) to remove the dirt and sand. You can use green scotch-brite or any rough grit sponge to remove the dirt then rinse properly until completely clean.
- Prepare tin molds (llanera) by brushing with coconut oil or butter. Set aside.
- Place the ube in a large pot and add water. Bring to a boil until they are soft and tender. When they are cooked let them cool first. When the purple yam are cool enough to handle peel and grate using a grater. Then set aside.
- In the big wok over medium heat, add coconut milk, condensed milk, fresh milk, and salt. Let simmer and then add the grated ube (purple yam). Continue stirring and turn down the heat to avoid burning the yam.
- When everything is well incorporated add sugar and continue mixing. You can tell the mixture is cooked when it does not stick to the wok or pan and the consistency of the mixture is gooey.
- Then add butter to the yam and continue mixing until butter is well incorporated. Make sure that the yam is cooked well for a longer shelf life. Taste and adjust sweetness according to your preference.
- Transfer into the prepared tin molds and let cool for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Top with grated cheese or latik (coconut curd) and serve. Bon Appetit!
Video
Notes
- Another indicator that the purple yam is cooked is when the stirring of the yam is heavier and it can hold form.
I noticed you have condensed milk from the ingredients list but it wasn’t mentioned in the instructions.
Hi,
Thank you for the letting me know. I’ve corrected it. Cheers