Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam)

Ube halaya, or purple yam jam (try saying that three times in a row!), is a sweetened spread made from ube, butter, sugar, and a combination of evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, or coconut milk. It's vividly dark purple, thick and creamy, and mildly nutty, and it's a versatile ingredient in the Filipino kitchen. It can be spread onto toast, swirled into a cake, added to ice cream, mixed into halo-halo, topped with shredded cheese or latik (crisp coconut curds), or enjoyed on its own. 

Ube is a purple yam that’s commonly used in desserts and sweet breads in the Philippines. It shouldn't be confused with Okinawan sweet potatoes or taro, which have different flavors and textures. Although available fresh, ube is much easier to find frozen or as a powder in the US. This recipe calls for frozen, grated ube, which is especially convenient since it’s ready to use (in comparison, powder can be trickier to work with since it must be reconstituted with liquid, first, and textures can vary between brands). However, if you are lucky enough to get your hands on fresh ube, feel free to use it in place of the frozen ube and see our note below for handling it. 

This ube halaya uses all coconut milk since its tropical flavor pairs well with the earthy ube. The cooking process is relatively straightforward and only uses one pot: You cook ube, sugar, and coconut milk low and slow until the halaya resembles a jam. Once that happens, toss in a knob of butter and a pinch of salt and cook the mixture until it becomes thick and viscous. That’s it! Ube halaya is best served cold, which allows its vanilla and pistachio-like flavor to truly shine.