Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Filipino Ube Halaya

Name: Filipino Ube Halaya
Total time: 10 h 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 450 g frozen cooked mashed ube (purple yam), weight after thawing; 397 g sweetened condensed milk; 55 g unsalted butter; 5 ml vanilla extract

菲律賓紫山藥甜蓉（Ube Halaya）

Total time: 645 min
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 8 servings

Recipe overview

Make thick, smooth Filipino purple yam jam with frozen cooked mashed ube.

Ingredients

Main ingredients

450 g frozen cooked mashed ube (purple yam), weight after thawing
397 g sweetened condensed milk
55 g unsalted butter

Flavouring

5 ml vanilla extract

Tools

kitchen scale
large bowl
fork
heavy saucepan
silicone spatula
shallow oval dish
measuring spoon

Steps

Step 1

Thaw and measure

Check that the package says cooked ube (purple yam), thaw covered in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours until fully soft, then measure 450 g. Do not use purple sweet potato.

Step 2

Mash finely

Mash the yam with a fork until fairly smooth to reduce lumps.

Step 3

Grease the dish

Lightly grease the inside of a shallow oval dish with a little butter.

Step 4

Melt the butter

Melt the remaining butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat without browning it.

Step 5

Add condensed milk

Pour in the condensed milk and keep the heat low; do not add the yam yet.

Step 6

Combine milk and butter

Stir the condensed milk and butter until evenly combined.

Step 7

Add the ube

Add the mashed purple yam and gradually stir it into the milk mixture.

Step 8

Fold until uniform

Keep folding until no pale milk streaks remain.

Step 9

Add vanilla

Add 5 ml vanilla extract and mix well.

Step 10

Cook until thick

Stir and scrape the bottom and sides over low heat for about 15–20 minutes, until thick, pulling from the pan and holding a spatula trail.

Step 11

Transfer to dish

Remove from heat and spread the hot jam in the greased dish; beware of steam and the hot pan.

Step 12

Cool and chill

Cool to room temperature, cover, then refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Common mistakes

Purple sweet potato is a different root. High heat or stopping the stirring can scorch the bottom; undercooking leaves a softer set.

Tips

Check the package says cooked ube, thaw fully in the refrigerator, then use low heat and scrape the pan constantly. Contains dairy. Cool before chilling.