Ube halaya is a Filipino purple yam jam served on its own and used in many desserts. Slow cooking concentrates the yam, dairy, coconut, and vanilla into a smooth, spoonable sweet.
Cooked ube is grated or blended before it is stirred with coconut milk and condensed milk. Patient stirring over moderate-low heat produces broad, smooth folds rather than a loose purée.
Use a wide heavy pan and scrape the base continuously near the end, when the mixture thickens quickly.
Serving Suggestions
Serve chilled or at room temperature with latik, toasted coconut, or a little grated cheese, or use it in halo-halo and pastries.
Recipe Notes
Refrigerate in a covered container for up to one week. The halaya firms when cold; let it stand briefly before serving.
Filipino Ube Halaya
Smooth Filipino purple yam jam slowly cooked with coconut milk, condensed milk, butter, and vanilla.
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Box grater or food processor
- Wide heavy skillet
- Heatproof spatula
Ingredients
Ube Halaya
- 2 lb fresh purple yam peeled after cooking
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk 13.5 ounces
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 ounces
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar adjust to taste
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter divided
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1/4 cup latik coconut curds optional, for serving
Instructions
Cook and Prepare the Ube:
- Cover the unpeeled ube with water and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender. Drain, cool enough to handle, peel, and finely grate or process until smooth.
- Grease a shallow serving dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
Cook the Halaya:
- Combine ube, coconut milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, sugar, remaining butter, vanilla, and salt in a wide heavy skillet.
- Cook over medium-low heat for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring and scraping constantly, until very thick and the mixture pulls cleanly from the pan in broad folds.
Set and Serve:
- Spread into the greased dish and smooth with a buttered spatula, leaving natural swirls. Cool completely, then cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Top with latik just before serving.
Notes
- Frozen grated ube can replace fresh; thaw and drain it well before measuring.
- Ube flavoring is optional and unnecessary when good fresh purple yam is available.
Nutrition
Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 130mgFiber: 3gSugar: 31g