Ube Halaya

Have you eaten recently a halo-halo? Did you notice a purple colored ingredient in there? That is an "Ube" of a Purple yam.

In the Philippines, it is known as ube and is eaten as a sweetened jam called "Ube halaya", a popular ingredient in the iced dessert. Ube halaya or purple yam is a favorite yam dessert eaten on its own.  Some pastries such as hopia used Ube as a filling, it's also used in some ingredient for various desserts or as topping.

How to do a dessert made of Ube?
Well it's simple, a purple yam will be boiled and when it became soft it will be grated, shredded, or mashed and combined with a can of condensed milk, vanilla extract and butter in a pan, and cooked in medium fire. 

Thoroughly mixed together, ube halaya has the consistency of a  ’jam’ and serves as a fine ingredients to many desserts, added to ice desserts or a variety of rice cakes.

There is also an Ube flavored ice cream that you can find in the Philippines and other sorbetes that is sold in streets. They are perfect during summer time.  Enjoy!