Ube Halaya (Purple yam jam recipe)
User Reviews
5
Ube Halaya (Purple yam jam recipe)
Description
Ube Halaya (Purple yam jam) begins with grated, steamed, and peeled purple yam or cooked purple Okinawan sweet potato. The grated yam is combined with a mixture of evaporated milk, coconut milk, condensed milk, sugar, and salt in a heavy-bottom pot. The mixture is blended for smoothness and cooked until thick and jam-like, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Butter and vanilla extract are incorporated for richness and flavor, and lemon juice adds brightness. The resulting jam is velvety and dense, with a characteristic purple hue. It can be stored refrigerated and served as a dessert, spread, or ingredient in other sweet dishes.
Using frozen grated ube is an option with slight modifications to cooking times. If condensed milk is unavailable, sugar and evaporated milk quantities are adjusted accordingly. A stick blender helps achieve a uniform texture but can be substituted with a traditional blender before cooking. This method highlights the yam's natural sweetness combined with creamy dairy notes for a traditional Filipino treat.
Ingredients
- 675 g ube 1.5 lbs, or an equal amount of cooked purple Okinawan sweet potato, cooked
- 240 mL evaporated milk 1 cup
- 240 mL coconut milk 1 cup, full fat
- 240 mL condensed milk 1 cup, see recipe notes for substitutions
- 200 g white granulated sugar 1 cup, or brown sugar
- ¼ tsp salt sea salt
- 10 mL vanilla extract 2 tsp
- 15 mL lemon juice 1 tbsp
- 115 g butter ½ cup / 1 stick, if you’re using salted butter, skip the additional salt in the ingredients list, unsalted
- 1 - 2 tsp ube extract optional (I don't use ube extract in this recipe)
Instructions
- If you’re using fresh ube or purple sweet potatoes, steam them until tender. Then let them cool, and then peel. Once peeled, grate them with a box grater.
- Once grated, this can be stored in the freezer in an airtight container for months. I prefer to vacuum pack the cooked ube. This can be done in advance, or you can buy pre-cooked, and grated ube as well.
- If you’re using store-bought frozen ube, it’s best to let it thaw out before using, but it can be used from frozen in a pinch as well (see recipe notes).
- Use a heavy bottom, large pot (I use a 5 qt pot). Add the evaporated milk, coconut milk, condensed milk, sugar, and salt into the pot.
- Add the grated ube, and stir to combine.
- Heat over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
- With a stick blender, blend the mixture to make the ube as smooth as possible.
- Once blended, continue to cook the ube-dairy mix until it comes to a boil. Stir frequently.
- When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low. Stir the mixture constantly while cooking, to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning. This also helps prevent the jam from sputtering and splattering everywhere.
- The cook time can range from 40 - 60 minutes.
- When the jam starts to thicken, add the vanilla, lemon juice and butter. Keep whisking to combine all the ingredients.
- If you want to add ube extract to deepen the purple color, you can do so at this stage. This is recommended if you used prefrozen ube, but isn't necessary if you used fresh ube or purple sweet potatoes.
- Remember that the ube halaya will thicken greatly as it cools down. So, only cook until you get a consistency that is a little runnier than you want it to be eventually.
- Carefully spoon the mixture into glass 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, and about 3 months in the freezer.
Notes
- If condensed milk is unavailable, increase sugar to 1½ cups and evaporated milk to 1½ cups for sweetness and texture.
- When using frozen grated ube, add it with all ingredients at low heat, stirring to break up frozen chunks for even cooking.
- Without a stick blender, blend the yam with evaporated and coconut milk before combining with sugar and cooking for smoothness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 200 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 0.25cups | |
| Calories | 200kcal | 10% |
| Carbohydrates | 28g | 9% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol | 21mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 85mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 246mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 22g | 44% |
| Vitamin A | 4999IU | 100% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 97mg | 10% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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