What Americans refer to as “purple yam” is actually called plain “ube” by Filipinos. The Filipino lighter violet colored “ube” though provides a much creamier main ingredient for the internationally liked dessert, the purple yam jam.
Popularly known in the Philippines as “halayang ube”, the purple yam jam is prepared from the rich mixture of mashed purple yam, white sugar, condensed milk, powder milk, butter, and egg yolks. Starch and violet food coloring may also be added for better texture and appetizing color.
Preparing the purple yam jam is simple but may take quite a long time. This is because the ingredients are mixed and cooked slowly over low fire. First, the white sugar and condensed milk are added to the mashed purple yam. The mixture is constantly stirred over low heat adding starch and violet food coloring when the main ingredients are fully blended.
The egg yolks and butter are added in the end when the mixing and cooking of the purple yam jam are nearly completed. You will know that your delicious purple yam jam is already fully cooked when the mixture thickens.
Once thickly mixed and well cooked, the purple yam jam could be formed into candy ball forms, rolled in white sugar and wrapped in colorful wrappers. More often than not, the purple yam jam is stored in nicely shaped and labeled bottles and used as topping for the refreshing iced dessert known to the Filipinos as “halo-halo” (mixed sweets).
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