Ingredients
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1.5 lbs (675g) Ubefresh or frozen
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1 cup (8floz/240ml) Evaporated Milk
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1 cup (8floz/240ml) full fat coconut milk
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1 can (1 cup/ 14oz/397g) condensed milk
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1 cup (8oz/225g) Sugar
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½ cup (4oz/115g) Butter
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1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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¼ teaspoon Salt
Directions
Ube Halaya is a Filipino dessert made from purple yam or Ube, as we call it. It is usually only served on special occasions because of the time and work it requires. But do not get discouraged because it is worth all the effort and with the new kitchen gadgets nowadays, it can be a lot easier.
Ube Halaya, distinguished by its purple color, is a unique dessert mostly associated with Filipinos, just as the red bean is associated with China and the green matcha with Japan.
How to Make Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam):
- Wash the ube but leave the skins on. Steam or boil them whole until tender in the middle, roughly 30-40 minutes depending on size.
- Once cooked through, let them cool down before peeling off the skin. Roughly chop into cubes and set aside. Once cooked, ube can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for months. You can get the ube ready in advance of making your jam.
- In a heavy bottom, large pot, add the cooked ube, evaporated milk, coconut milk, condensed milk, and sugar.
- With an immersion blender, blend the mixture to make the ube as smooth and silky as possible. You can also do this in a liquidizer, food processor or using a hand masher.
- Once smooth, move the pot to the stove and cover with a lid. Heat over medium/low until it comes to a simmer.
- Simmer for roughly 40-45 minutes. Stir the mixture continually while cooking to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. The jam mix will spit so just be careful when you remove the lid.
- When the jam has thickened, whisk in the butter, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. Remember that the ube halaya will thicken a lot as it cools down, so factor that in.
- Carefully spoon the mixture into 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, but I like to divide up into smaller amounts and freeze for up to 4 months.
