Creamy Ube Halaya Recipe
Ube Halaya is a sweet Filipino purple yam jam made by cooking mashed ube with milk, coconut milk, butter, sugar, and ube extract. It's the Filipino version of a dessert jam, except it is richer, smoother, and a lot more dramatic because it shows up in that gorgeous purple color.
You can eat it by the spoonful, spread it on bread, use it as a filling for pastries, layer it in halo-halo, or add it to cakes, ice cream, and other Filipino desserts.
Ube Halaya looks innocent until you realize your arm is about to enter a full workout session. The first time I tried making it, I thought it's just stirring. Famous last words. After 20 minutes, I was standing over the stove questioning my choices, my upper body strength, and why Filipino desserts always require commitment.
Then the smell started to change. Suddenly, the stirring felt worth it. Mostly. I still complained, of course, because that is part of the cooking process.
What I love about homemade ube halaya is that it tastes real. Not just sweet and purple, but creamy, buttery, and comforting. Store-bought jars are convenient, but homemade ube halaya has that fresh flavor that makes you want to put it on everything. Bread? Yes. Pancakes? Yes. Spoon straight from the container at midnight? I will neither confirm nor deny.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ube, cooked and mashed
- 1 can coconut milk, 13.5 ounces
- 1 can evaporated milk, 12 ounces
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 14 ounces
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon ube extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ to 1 cup brown sugar, adjust to taste
Ube gives this recipe its natural beautiful purple color. Coconut milk adds richness that works perfectly with the ube. Evaporated milk makes the halaya creamy, while condensed milk adds that classic milky dessert flavor. Butter gives it a glossy finish, and a small amount of salt balances the sweetness so it does not taste flat. Ube extract helps boost the color and flavor, especially if your ube is not very vibrant. Brown sugar adds a deeper sweetness than white sugar.
How to Cook Ube Halaya
Step 1
Add the cooked mashed ube, coconut milk, and evaporated milk to a blender. Blend until smooth. If you do not have a blender, place everything directly in the pan and mash or mix well.
Step 2
Pour the ube mixture into a large saucepan. Use a light-colored pan if possible so you can easily see if anything is sticking or burning at the bottom.
Step 3
Add the condensed milk, butter, ube extract, and salt. Stir everything together until combined.
Step 4
Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the mixture while stirring often. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent burning.
Step 5
Continue cooking for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the mixture becomes thick, smooth, and heavy. You should be able to drag your spatula across the bottom of the pan and see a clear trail.
Step 6
Add brown sugar, starting with ½ cup. Stir well and taste. Add more sugar if you want it sweeter.
Step 7
Remove from heat and transfer the ube halaya to a heat-safe bowl or container. Let it cool completely.
Step 8
Serve right away, chill in the fridge, or store in an airtight container for later.
Ube Halaya is delicious on its own, especially when served chilled with a little butter on top like the classic Filipino way. You can also spread it on pandesal, use it as a filling for bread and pastries, swirl it into ice cream, add it to halo-halo, or layer it in cakes and desserts. You can also serve it in a small dish with toasted coconut, cheese, or a drizzle of condensed milk. Basically, if something needs to become more Filipino, add ube halaya.
Personal Tips
Do not rush the cooking process. Ube halaya needs slow, steady heat so it can thicken properly without burning. Stir often and scrape the bottom of the pan because this mixture loves to stick when you are not looking.
If you want a very smooth halaya, blend the ube with the milk before cooking. If you like a more rustic texture, you can skip the blender and just mash it well.
Also, taste before adding all the sugar because condensed milk is already sweet. You can always add more sugar, but you cannot politely ask the sugar to leave once it is already in there.
FAQ
Yes. Frozen grated or mashed ube works well for this recipe. Thaw it first, then blend or mash it with the milk before cooking.
Yes. You can use rehydrated ube powder if fresh or frozen ube is not available. Make sure it is fully rehydrated before adding it to the recipe.
It probably needs more cooking time. Continue cooking over medium-low heat while stirring until it becomes thick and spreadable.
The heat may have been too high, or the mixture was not stirred often enough. Use medium-low heat and scrape the bottom and sides of the pan regularly.
Yes. The blender just makes the texture smoother. You can still make this recipe by mashing the ube well and mixing everything directly in the pan.
Ube halaya can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Yes. Let it cool completely, then place it in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge before using.
You can eat it with pandesal, toast, crackers, ice cream, halo-halo, pancakes, waffles, cakes, suman, or pastries.
Yes. Start with less brown sugar and adjust to taste. The condensed milk already adds sweetness, so you do not need to add the full amount if you prefer a milder flavor.
Salt balances the sweetness and makes the ube flavor stand out more. It will not make the dessert salty, it just makes it taste better.
Recipe Card
Creamy Ube Halaya Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Add the cooked mashed ube, coconut milk, and evaporated milk to a blender. Blend until smooth. If you do not have a blender, place everything directly in the pan and mash or mix well.
- Pour the ube mixture into a large saucepan. Use a light-colored pan if possible so you can easily see if anything is sticking or burning at the bottom.
- Add the condensed milk, butter, ube extract, and salt. Stir everything together until combined.
- Turn the heat to medium-low and cook the mixture while stirring often. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan to prevent burning.
- Continue cooking for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until the mixture becomes thick, smooth, and heavy. You should be able to drag your spatula across the bottom of the pan and see a clear trail.
- Add brown sugar, starting with ½ cup. Stir well and taste. Add more sugar if you want it sweeter.
- Remove from heat and transfer the ube halaya to a heat-safe bowl or container. Let it cool completely.
- Serve right away, chill in the fridge, or store in an airtight container for later.