Ube Halaya Jam is a well-known Filipino jam that’s made with ube (purple yam). It’s a creamy, sweet, and delicious dessert. If you want to make ube flavored bread, desserts, and pasties, then you need to make this easy purple jam recipe that is so versatile.
Ube Halaya is getting more and more popular because of its exceptional and unique taste. Have you tried my Ube Cheese Pandesal, Ube Cookies, Ube Maja Blanca, and Ube Crinkle Cookies, which are made with real Ube Halaya Jam? This easy Ube Puto uses Ube extract too. It is a favorite dessert in the Philippines and around the world.
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ingredients for homemade ube halaya
We will need only 5 ingredients to make the best ube jam and only a few steps. I wrote some helpful notes for you to make this dessert a success.
- Butter - Butter makes everything taste better in my opinion! It gives an extra rich and creamy taste.
- Condensed Milk - Add sweetness and creaminess to your dessert.
- Coconut Milk - I use full-fat coconut milk (not light coconut milk). The increased fat will make the ube jam taste richer and creamier, and the coconut flavor will be more prominent as well. Substitute coconut milk with an equal amount of heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk.
- Ube - Fresh or frozen is a great option. I use ready-to-use frozen ube for convenience. If you live in the United States, it is available in the Asian Supermarket in the freezer sections. Be sure to thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
- Ube extract - Adds flavor, aroma, and vibrant purple color. Optional but it will make a difference in color and taste.
How to cook the best ube halaya
Making Ube Jam is a simple process with minimal steps. Using frozen pre-cooked purple yam we will just need a few steps to achieve the best homemade ube halaya.
- In low-medium heat, melt your butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven.
- Add all the ingredients except the ube extract. Mix everything until everything is well combined. Simmer on low-medium heat to prevent a quick boil. The Ube can easily burn.
- Once it slightly thickens, add the ube extract to add aroma, flavors, and a deep purple color. If you want a deep purple hue, add a few more drops. Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom of the pan from burning.
- Cook and stir continuously until you achieve a thick and smooth consistency. Turn off the heat. It will continue to thicken until it cools down. Transfer to a mason jar once it cooled down.
Helpful Tips
- The traditional way of making Filipino Purple Yam Jam is to grate the ube. But mashing will make your job easier and faster.
- Cooking the mixture over low heat is important. It helps the flavors meld together and prevents scorching.
- Be patient and stir constantly to avoid burning the mixture. It may be a bit time-consuming but your result is a luscious, purple-hued paste that's both visually stunning and delicious.
Storage Tips
Refrigerator - For the leftover, transfer to a mason jar after cooling. It will last in the fridge for up to 1 month when stored properly, and covered with a lid.
Freezer - Ube jam lasts a very long time in the freezer when stored properly. Transfer this purple jam dessert to a freezer-friendly container such as a wide-mouth mason jar. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Your Questions and the Answers
Ube is a purple yam with vibrant purple flesh. It is a tuberous root vegetable that is commonly grown and consumed in the Philippines and other parts of Southeast Asia. It is very similar to a sweet potato in texture but sweet potatoes have a nutty taste. Ube is known for its naturally occurring purple color, which sets it apart from other yam varieties that typically have white or pale-colored flesh.
Ube is not only prized for its flavor but also for its stunning natural color, which adds a visually appealing element to dishes. It is often used as a natural food coloring agent to create vibrant purple hues in several recipes. Ube is a versatile and delicious ingredient that plays a significant role in Filipino cuisine and has also made its way into international culinary trends
1. Peel and chop the ube into small, uniform pieces before boiling. It will make the cooking faster and the mashing easier and more efficient.
2. Boil the chopped ube until they are fork-tender.
3. Mash the cooked ube until smooth and lump-free. You can use a potato masher or food processor for this step.
Ube Halaya in Tagalog or Ube Jam in English is a popular Filipino favorite that is made with boiled and mashed purple yam with coconut milk and then combined with condensed milk, evaporated milk, and sugar to add a sweet and creamy dessert. It is a main base of ube-flavored bread, pastries, and desserts. It can be spread and a filling in pandesal and sliced bread, swirled into a cake, added to ice cream, mixed into halo-halo, topped with shredded coconut or shredded cheese, and enjoyed on its own.
Its taste is a balance of sweet and creamy. This is the type of dessert I can eat every day and never get tired of eating it.
You can easily find frozen ube in Asian grocery stores in their frozen section. Sometimes there are fresh ones in the produce sections at most Filipino Stores abroad but I aim for frozen and already boiled and mashed for convenience.
It is doable to cook Ube Halaya without coconut milk. Just substitute coconut milk with evaporated milk or heavy whipping cream in the same amount.
If stored properly, Ube Halaya will last a very long time. Store in an air-tight glass container after cooling. It's good in the fridge for 1 month and it will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
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Ube Halaya Jam Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 pound frozen purple yam
- 1 can (13.5 ounces) full-fat coconut milk or coconut cream
- 1 can (14 ounces) condensed milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar or brown sugar (more if needed)
- 1 tablespoon ube extract
Instructions
- In low-medium heat, melt your butter in a large skillet or Dutch oven.
- Add coconut milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and sugar. Mix everything until everything is well combined. Simmer on low-medium heat to prevent a quick boil. The Ube can easily burn. If using fresh ube, check the recipe notes below.
- Once it slightly thickens, add the ube extract to add aroma, flavors, and a deep purple color. If you want a deep purple hue, add a few more drops. Stir occasionally to prevent the bottom of the pan from burning.
- Stir every 10-15 minutes until it is thick consistency. Turn off the heat. It will continue to thicken until it cools down. Transfer to a mason jar once it cooled down.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- Preparing fresh purple yam:
2. Boil the chopped ube until they are fork-tender.
3. Mash the cooked ube until smooth and lump-free. You can use a potato masher or food processor for this step.
- For leftover ube halaya, transfer to a mason jar after cooling. It will last in the fridge for up to 1 month when stored properly. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Agatha
Perfectly sweetened ube halaya. I prefer your recipes than others since you put time and effort. Thanks so much!
Aga
Perfectly sweetened ube halaya. I prefer your recipes than others since you put time and effort. Thanks so much!
Jomelyn
Thank you for the nice compliment. I try to perfect every recipe I share on my blog.