Halayang Ube

Halayang Ube or Ube Halaya is a classic Filipino delicacy made of purple yam, coconut milk, and butter. Creamy, cheesy, and topped with golden latik, it's delicious as a snack or dessert.

Since frozen grated purple yam was on sale last weekend, I decided to stock up on a few packages and re-shoot the ube recipes I have on the blog. May I say, it was a good day today here at the Kawaling Pinoy headquarters.

The trays of ube kalamay, ube maja, and halaya I made using my precious loot were so good, they were all I ate all day. I probably didn't do my weight any service but am #sorrybutnotsorry.

What is Ube Halaya

Ube Halaya or is a type of Filipino jam made from purple yam. It's commonly served as a midday snack or after-meal dessert, but it's also used in bread, ube crinkle cookies, ube mamon sponge cakes, and other desserts such as peanut tikoy rolls, halo-halo, and ube ice creams.

Ingredient notes

• Purple yam- or locally known as ube. Similar to nilupak na cassava, halayang ube recipe starts by steaming or boiling the tubers until fork-tender and mashing until smooth and free of lumps. You can skip this step by using frozen, already-grated ube available at most Asian supermarkets.
• Milk, butter, and sugar- the mashed tubers are cooked in a mixture of coconut milk, evaporated milk, condensed milk, butter, and sugar until thick and creamy
• Cheese- use American processed cheese food like Eden or Magnolia brand for the best results. It gives the halaya extra creaminess and helps thicken the mixture more quickly.
• Ube extract- optional but a few drops do help boost color, aroma, and flavor. Use sparingly; note that the color of the mixture will be light but will deepen when cooked.

How to Make Ube Halaya

The process is pretty simple, but it does need a bit of patience and lots of elbow grease as it requires religious stirring to prevent from burning at the bottom. It takes a bit of time to cook the mixture into a thick concoction. Make the latik before or at the same time as you will need the rendered coconut oil to brush on the halaya.

1. Combine grated ube, coconut milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, butter, and sugar in a wide pan. Whisk until smooth.
2. Bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved, butter is melted, and ube is dispersed. Add ube extract, if using, and stir until mixture is evenly colored.
3. Lower heat and simmer to a thick paste consistency, stirring regularly.
4. Add cheese and stir until melted. Continue to cook until mixture is thick enough to cling to the back of the spoon and pulls slightly from the side of the pan.
5. Lightly grease sides of a baking dish or llanera mold with coconut oil or melted butter. Spoon ube halaya into the prepared dish or mold and spread and flatten evenly using a lightly greased spatula. Allow to cool.
6. To serve, invert halaya onto a serving plate. Lightly brush the top with coconut oil and garnish with latik, shredded cheese, toasted coconut flakes or sweetened macapuno.

Serving suggestions

Give this classic Filipino delicacy a try! Rich, creamy and loaded with ube flavor, it's sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Top it with latik, shredded cheese, or sweetened macapuno strings for another layer of yum. You can also check out how to toast coconut flakes for a quick topping option.

Make it for a party or a special treat just for you! Enjoy!

How Long Does Ube Halaya Last

Properly stored, this nilupak na ube will last in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to one month. Keep in an airtight container or wrap tightly with cling wrap to prevent from drying out.

If you want to bottle the jam for longer shelf life, you can read more about safe canning procedures here.