Ube ice cream facts for kids
Ube–macapuno ice cream, served in Hawaii
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| Alternative names | Purple yam ice cream |
|---|---|
| Type | Ice cream |
| Place of origin | Philippines |
| Serving temperature | Cold |
Ube ice cream is a special ice cream flavor from the Philippines. It gets its unique taste and beautiful purple color from ube, which is a type of purple yam. This creamy, sweet treat is often enjoyed on its own or as a key part of another popular Filipino dessert called halo-halo.
The Sweet History of Ube Ice Cream
Ube, the purple yam, has always been a favorite in Filipino desserts. People love its bright violet color and its slightly sweet, nutty taste. One very popular dessert made with ube is called ube halaya, which is a sweet, mashed ube jam.
Ice cream first came to the Philippines a long time ago, around the early 1900s. Filipinos quickly made it their own, creating local versions called sorbetes. They started making ice cream with exciting new flavors like mango, pinipig (toasted rice flakes), and melon.
The first known recipe for ube ice cream appeared in 1922. It was a simple recipe, using mashed ube, milk, sugar, and crushed ice. Back then, people made ice cream by hand. They used a special mixer called a garapinyera, which you had to crank yourself!
Today, ube ice cream is loved all over the world. Many Filipinos living in other countries have shared this delicious flavor in their restaurants. It also became super popular when a store called Trader Joe's started selling ube products. Its amazing purple color and delicious taste have made it a hit on social media too!
Ube Ice Cream in Halo-Halo
Ube ice cream is a very common ingredient in halo-halo. Halo-halo is a famous Filipino dessert that mixes many different things together. It often includes coconut, sago (small chewy pearls), sweet beans, and fruits like jackfruit or mango. You might also find leche flan (a creamy custard) and nata de coco (coconut jelly) in it.
Ube is super important for halo-halo because it gives the dessert its special flavor and its famous violet color. So, people often use ube ice cream instead of, or along with, ube halaya (the ube jam). Halo-halo also uses evaporated milk, and adding ube ice cream makes the whole dessert even creamier and more delicious!
