This Ube jelly recipe is made with real ube for a very delightful and wholesome ube dessert. A beloved ingredient in Filipino cuisine, Ube jelly showcases the unique flavor and the real, hushed-lavender hue of ube, a purple yam that has been a staple in Filipino desserts for centuries. Whether enjoyed on its own or as a colorful topping for sweet treats, this recipe offers a versatile elevation to your foodie journey.
What is Ube Jelly?
Ube jelly is a sweet and purple jelly made from ube, a type of purple yam popular in Filipino cuisine. It is known for its unique flavor and soft purple color.
Further, it is commonly made by using another natural and vegan resource of the Philippines, agar-agar. The agar-agar, mixed with coconut milk and ube, make a tasty and fun ube jelly.
Often, you will find ube jelly to be very deep and vibrant purple. This is from ube extract. However, this recipe is all natural and highlights the actual color of ube, which is a very soft shade of purple. Overall, it’s a very peaceful, quiet, and soft tone of purple with gray and lavender hints.
The taste of ube shines through a combination of coconut milk, giving it the similar taste as ube halaya.
In addition, ube itself is not sweet, but the sweetened milks combined with ube’s natural nutty, vanilla, and earthy flavor…creates a beautiful ube jelly that has more authentic ube taste.
The bouncy texture and ube-loaded flavor make ube jelly a prized ingredient for ube sago and samalamigs (Filipino-style icy drinks with jellies).
What is Agar Agar
Agar agar is a plant-based gelling agent derived from seaweed. It is commonly used as a vegetarian alternative to gelatin and is essential in creating the firm and bouncy texture of ube jelly.
Due to its natural origin, agar agar is well-suited for vegan recipes and provides a solid translucent consistency when set.
Use gelatin for a more “jello” jiggle type set and if you are non-vegan.
History and Origin of Ube Jelly
Ube has been a staple in Filipino desserts for centuries, with its use dating back to pre-colonial times in the Philippines.
The purple tuber is celebrated for its flavor that combines perfectly with coconut and sweet mixtures to contrast with it’s vanilla-nut flavor.
Ube has become representative of Filipino cuisine and the innovations of Filipinos with the resources to create interesting recipes, including ube jelly.
Culinary Uses of Ube Jelly
Ube jelly is commonly used in various Filipino and Asian desserts such as:
- halo-halo, a popular shaved ice dessert
- ube jelly in ice lattes
- bingsoo, a Korean shave ice dessert with condensed milk
- sago drinks and icy, fruit drinks with jellies
- gelatin cakes
- topping for various sweet treats
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated ube (purple yam)
- 1 can, 14oz regular coconut milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 can, 11oz condensed milk sugar
- 1 bar agar-agar – read packet instructions; you can also use gelatin
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Immersion hand blender or wire mesh strainer
- Jelly mold or serving dish
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, condensed milk, and water.
- Bring to a simmer and add the agar-agar. Stir very well until the agar dissolves. Then, lower the heat, stir well more for an additional 5-10 minutes. Be sure not to burn the mixture by keeping the heat low.
- Next, add the ube and stir in well. (In the States the ube is bought already cooked. If you have fresh ube, cook it before adding to the mix.)
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Use the immersion hand blender to blend the ube into the mixture for a smooth texture. If you do not have a hand blender, you can strain the mix through a wire strainer.
- Pour the mixture into a jelly mold or serving dish and refrigerate until set.
- Once set, cut the ube jelly into desired shapes.
Notes
- Be sure to use real ube for the best flavor and natural recipe.
- Use vegan coconut condensed milk to make the a vegan ube jelly recipe.
- Adjust the sugar according to your sweetness preference.
- Ensure the agar-agar is fresh and dissolved completely.
- You can use ube extract if you like.
- Gelatin is the non-vegan substitute for agar-agar and has a more bouncy and smooth texture.
Add-Ins and Variations
- Use mini shape cutters for fun ube jelly shapes.
- Try all plant milks for a vegan ube jelly recipe.
- Add Evaporated milk.
How to Serve
Enjoy ube jelly on its own as a simple ube dessert with condensed milk drizzled over the top.
Additionally, use as a beautiful topping for various sweet treats. It is a perfect addition to ube sago dessert, as an ube biko topping, or in non-Filipino desserts like Vietnamese che thai or brown iced sugar coffee.
Lastly, try it on top of smoothies, milkshakes, and fruit bowls.
Ube Jelly Recipe
Equipment
- saucepan
- Immersion hand blender or wire mesh strainer
- Jelly mold or serving dish
Ingredients
- 1 cup grated ube purple yam; precooked; thawed
- 1 can 14oz regular coconut milk
- ½ cup water
- 1 can 11oz condensed milk sugar
- 1 bar agar-agar read packet instructions; you can also use gelatin
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine the coconut milk, condensed milk, and water.1 can 14oz regular coconut milk, 1 can 11oz condensed milk sugar, ½ cup water
- Bring to a simmer and add the agar-agar. Stir very well until the agar dissolves. Then lower the heat, stir well more for an additional 5-10 minutes. Be sure not to burn the mixture by keeping the heat low.1 bar agar-agar
- Add the ube and stir in well. (In the States the ube is bought already cooked. If you have fresh ube, cook it before adding to the mix.)1 cup grated ube
- Stir in the vanilla extract.½ tsp vanilla extract
- Use the immersion hand blender to blend the ube into the mixture for a smooth texture. If you do not have a hand blender, you can strain the mix through a wire strainer.
- Pour the mixture into a jelly mold or serving dish and refrigerate until set.
- Once set, cut the ube jelly into desired shapes.
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