Ube halaya is a sweet, delicious Filipino dessert, and it's not hard to see why it's so popular! Make it from scratch for a better tasting purple yam jam!EASY - This recipe is very easy to make. Ube might be harder to find depending on where you live. But substitutions have been provided in the post and recipe.
1.5lbscooked ubeor an equal amount of cooked purple Okinawan sweet potato
1cupevaporated milk
1cupfull fat coconut milk
1cupcondensed milksee recipe notes for substitutions
1cupwhite or brown sugar
¼tspsea salt
2tspvanilla extract
1tbsplemon juice
½cupunsalted butterif you’re using salted butter, skip the additional salt in the ingredients list
1 - 2tspUbe extractoptional (I don't use ube extract in this recipe)
Instructions
If you’re using fresh ube or purple sweet potatoes, steam them until tender. Then let them cool, and then peel. Once peeled, grate them with a box grater.
1.5 lbs cooked ube
Once grated, this can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for months. I prefer to vacuum pack the cooked ube. This can be done in advance, or you can buy pre-cooked, and grated ube as well.
If you’re using store-bought frozen ube, it’s best to let it thaw out before using, but it can be used from frozen in a pinch as well (see recipe notes).
Use a heavy bottom, large pot (I use a 5 qt pot). Add the evaporated milk, coconut milk, condensed milk, sugar, and salt into the pot.
1 cup evaporated milk, 1 cup full fat coconut milk, 1 cup condensed milk, 1 cup white or brown sugar, ¼ tsp sea salt
Add the grated ube, and stir to combine.
Heat over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
With a stick blender, blend the mixture to make the ube as smooth as possible.
Once blended, continue to cook the ube-dairy mix until it comes to a boil. Stir frequently.
When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low. Stir the mixture constantly while cooking, to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. This also helps prevent the jam from sputtering and splattering everywhere.
The cook time can range from 40 - 60 minutes.
When the jam starts to thicken, add the vanilla, lemon juice and butter. Keep whisking to combine all the ingredients.
2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ½ cup unsalted butter
If you want to add ube extract to deepen the purple color, you can do so at this stage. This is recommended if you used prefrozen ube, but isn't necessary if you used fresh ube or purple sweet potatoes.
1 - 2 tsp Ube extract
Remember that the ube halaya will thicken greatly as it cools down. So, only cook until you get a consistency that is a little runnier than you want it to be eventually.
Carefully spoon the mixture into glass jars while hot. Then close with the lids. Allow the jam to cool down to room temperature. The ube jam will last in the fridge for about 5 days, and about 3 months in the freezer.
Notes
Note 1 - If you don't have condensed milk at home, increase the sugar content to 1 ½ cups (300 g), and increase the evaporated milk to 1 ½ cups as well.Note 2 - If you’re cooking the ube from frozen, add it right at the start with all of the ingredients, but heat at a lower heat. The gradual heating of the ingredients will help thaw out the frozen ube. Make sure to stir and break the frozen ube as it thaws in the mixture. The cook time can also change if you’re starting from frozen.Note 3 - If you don’t have a stick blender, then place the fresh or thawed and grated ube in a blender with the evaporated milk and coconut milk, and blend until you get a smooth mix. Then add this to the pot with the condensed milk and sugar and proceed with the recipe.