Ube Halaya is one of the best ways you can enjoy Filipino ube. It’s rich, creamy, and sweet; perfect for dessert and so much better than store-bought!

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I love ube. In fact, a majority of Filipinos do and we take huge pride in our native crop.

Ube is a Filipino yam with a distinct, vibrant purple color. It’s similar in tastes to taro, with a deeper, nuttier, somewhat vanilla-y, floral taste.

Ube Halaya (Ube Jam) with latik and croissants

Ube halaya processes that ube down into a concentrated jam, perfect for spreading on top bread, pastries, or as a base for desserts or frostings.

My mom always makes fresh halaya and stores it in the fridge so that the whole family can snack on it using a spoon!

Some of our favorite ways to use halaya is to turn it into ube cake (the ube frosting tastes phenomenal with this), mix it in with Halo Halo on hot days, or to make a warm, comforting bowl of Ube Champorado.

Ube Halaya

I’m super particular with ube because, especially commercially, they almost never get it right.

Some mass-produced or commercial ube jams tend to be watered-down in taste, sometimes ending up incredibly sugary with no trace of ube at all. Others end up tasting somewhat artificial, with a slight chemical taste that isn’t very pleasant.

That being said, I will say some brands do hit the spot. You really want to go for Filipino brands that clearly state “Halaya” to get that really intense and authentic ube flavor.

Ingredients

Ube: You can use fresh or frozen ube for this recipe. For reference, I used the frozen ube that you can purchase in most Filipino/Asian groceries since finding fresh ube here in my city is almost impossible! If you plan to use fresh, you’d need to cook it first to soften, then grate it before turning into halaya.

*I’ve included a section below specifically talking about ube for more in-depth information.

Evaporated milk: This milk is a tad thicker and creamier than standard fresh milk. It will give added richness to our halaya.

Butter: Be sure to use the unsalted butter so you have better control on the overall flavor of the dessert.

Substitutions: You can also use margarine, which is much more common in the Philippines.

Coconut milk: My mom’s original recipe actually doesn’t include this at all, but I tweaked her’s a bit to include coconut milk since I just love how well it pairs with ube.

Condensed milk: This will intensify the richness and milky taste of the halaya. Feel free to adjust the amount of condensed milk in the recipe to better suit how sweet you’d like it to be.

Substitutions: White or brown sugar may also be used for this recipe.

Ube extract: This is technically optional, but I do like to add it to all my halaya recipes as it not only helps to intensify the ube flavor, but it also deepens its vibrant purple color.

Salt: A pinch of salt will enhance the flavor and sweetness of our dessert.

Ube: A Short Guide

Let’s talk ube! This is a short guide that I quickly put together to address some concerns from readers over the past year (I’ll probably have a longer, more official guide coming soon…)

Fresh vs. Frozen

As mentioned above, both can be used for this recipe. Frozen may be more accessible and easier to find for most folks in the West, though fresh ube is definitely more tasty.

If using fresh: You have to cook these first before making the halaya. I’d recommend either steaming or roasting the ube until soft enough to grate. Boiling can also work, but I find it can make your halaya too watery, which can result in longer cooking times.
If using frozen: These already come pre-grated and can be found in the frozen section in most Filipino or Asian groceries. Let them thaw adequately prior to using in the recipe.

Is it really ube?

I’ll be straight to the point -if it’s not ube you’re using, then you’re not making ube halaya, it’s just a tasty sweet potato jam.

Some recipes online will have you substitute ube with taro or Japanese sweet potatoes, but seriously, just because it’s purple, it doesn’t make it ube! If you can’t find fresh ube, then your next best choice is to go for the frozen ube.

Remember that ube is a yam and not a potato, so apart from names, you can also use some visual cues to discern whether something is truly ube or not.

Ube has a very “rooty” look to it (similar to tree bark); with thick, rough skin and almost hairy-looking. Sweet potatoes tend to have thinner, smoother skin.

Okay, but enough with being a purist, unless you did want to try experimenting with purple potatoes, then feel free to do so. While this wouldn’t technically be an ube halaya, I’m confident it would still taste great!

Instructions

Melt the butter over medium heat until browned and foamy (take care not to burn the butter or the halaya will become bitter).

Add in the evaporated milk, coconut milk, and grated ube. Stir to combine.

Optional, but highly recommended: blend this mixture until smooth to break down any large clumps of ube. This will ensure a smoother jam with a less grainy texture.

Pour the blended ube mixture back into the pan. Add in the condensed milk, ube extract, and salt. Stir to combine.

Continue stirring for 35-40 minutes over medium heat, being sure to scrape the sides. At around 35 minutes, the mixture should thicken into a very thick jam that should still be slightly runny.

Taste the halaya. Add more condensed milk, if needed, to reach your desired sweetness.

Remove the ube halaya from the heat and let cool completely in a separate container. Top with toasted coconut curds (latik), if desired.

Cooking Tips

Adjust the cooking time accordingly: While traditional ube halaya is typically thicker than standard, spreadable jams, you can easily control how you want the consistency to be by adjusting the cooking times.

The rationale behind this is that the longer you cook the halaya, the more moisture/water you’re essentially evaporating out of the mixture, resulting with a thicker outcome.

Traditional: The sweet spot for traditional ube halaya is around 35-40 minutes. It gives the halaya a firm texture when cooled, yet it’s soft enough to be spreadable.
Thinner: If you prefer your halaya to be more on the runnier, thinner side (similar to spreadable jam), go for 20-30 minutes.
Solid: For a solid halaya, similar to the texture of firm pudding, cook for around 50-60 minutes. You can place the halaya in molds to take on the shape and serve as-is.

Use a blender for the smoothest texture: While not exactly essential, you can try using a blender to ensure your ube mixture is the smoothest it can be. This might be helpful if you’re finding that your ube has a lot of fibrous strands that aren’t quite broken up.

Adjust the sugar to taste: How sweet the halaya should be depends on your preference. Feel free to adjust the amount of condensed milk in the recipe to ensure it’s to the sweetness that you like.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How long does this last?

We like to store our halaya in an airtight container in the fridge. They’re best enjoyed within 5 days, but it should last for up to 1 week refrigerated.

You can also freeze the halaya for up to 2-3 months. Just be sure to defrost it in warm water prior to consuming.

Some readers mentioned that frozen halaya can actually last longer (we’re talking up to 6 months!). I haven’t personally gone that long, but always follow general food safety precautions. Keep an eye out for your ube: if it starts to become discoloured or it has any funny smells or tastes, then it’s probably no good and you should discard it.

How do I use Ube Halaya?

Think of this as a jam or a concentrated ube that you can use for a multitude of other recipes.

Some recipes where you can use ube halaya include: Ube Champorado, Ube Pie, or Halo Halo.

You can also use this in general for:

Spreads or toppings for breads and pastries (e.g., croissants, biscuits, pancakes, waffles, etc.)
As a base for icing/frosting cakes, brownies, macarons, etc.
As a base for flavoring drinks.
Eating by itself from a spoon (my preferred method)

How do I serve this?

If you don’t plan on using the halaya for any other dish, and you simply want to serve it as-is, you can serve the halaya traditionally by either sprinkling on top some latik (toasted coconut curds) or grated processed cheese (e.g., Eden or quick melt cheese).

You may also try garnishing it with toasted coconut shreds for a crunchy, textural option.

Looking for more tasty dessert ideas? Here’s a couple that you might enjoy: