1 Kilo Ube Halaya Recipe with Condensed Milk
This 1 Kilo Ube Halaya Recipe with Condensed Milk turns 1 kilo of purple yam into a rich, spoonable treat you’ll keep making. Simple steps, real tips, no guesswork.
Ube halaya is a thick, jam-like Filipino dessert made from boiled purple yam, condensed milk, and coconut milk, cooked low and slow until it turns glossy and spreadable. This ube halaya recipe makes enough for a small crowd and comes out dense and creamy, like good mashed potatoes, perfect for holiday tables, dessert trays, or just stocking your fridge.
I’ve made this ube halaya recipe enough times to know the pot matters as much as the ube does. The first batch I scorched because I used a thin pan and walked away for two minutes — never again.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Ube Halaya Recipe
It’s thick, creamy, and just sweet enough without tasting like straight sugar. The texture lands somewhere between jam and mashed potatoes, which sounds odd until you taste it. It’s a slow process, but the steps themselves are simple enough for a first-timer. And unlike a lot of Filipino desserts, ube halaya keeps beautifully in the fridge or freezer for whenever you want it.
Foolproof Ube Halaya Recipe with Condensed Milk (1 Kilo)
Equipment
- Large pot
- Potato ricer
- Blender
- Large heavy-bottomed pot
- Light-colored pot
- Spatula
- Airtight container
- Portioned freezer bags or containers
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Main Ingredient
- 1 kilogram ube purple yam; boiled, peeled, cubed
Milk & Cream
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 300 ml
- 1 can evaporated milk 370 ml
- 1 cup coconut milk
Flavor & Finishing
- ¾ cup sugar adjust to taste
- 1 tablespoon ube extract for flavor and color
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter use up to 1/4 cup for richness
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Boil the ube until a fork slides in easily, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Let the ube cool, then peel and grate or mash it finely. A potato ricer can help create a smoother mash.
- Combine the grated ube, coconut milk, and evaporated milk in a blender.
- Blend until completely creamy, with no grainy bits left.
- Pour the blended ube mixture into a large, heavy-bottomed pot.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk, butter, ube extract, and salt.
- Stir until everything is fully combined.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously so the mixture does not catch on the bottom.
- Keep the mixture at a slow, steady simmer, never a hard boil, for 40 to 55 minutes.
- Drag a spatula across the bottom of the pot. If it leaves a clear trail that holds for a couple seconds, the halaya is ready.
- Stir in sugar to taste and mix it through completely.
- Take the pot off the heat once the halaya looks thick, glossy, and moves like thick mashed potatoes.
- Spoon the halaya into containers and let it cool completely before storing.
Notes
What Ingredients Do You Need for Ube Halaya?
| Ingredient Group | Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main Ingredient | Ube (purple yam) | 1 kilogram | Boiled, peeled, cubed |
| Milk & Cream | Sweetened condensed milk | 1 can (300 ml) | |
| Milk & Cream | Evaporated milk | 1 can (370 ml) | |
| Milk & Cream | Coconut milk | 1 cup | |
| Flavor & Finishing | Sugar | ¾ cup | Adjust to taste |
| Flavor & Finishing | Ube extract (flavor and color) | 1 tablespoon | |
| Flavor & Finishing | Unsalted butter | 2 tablespoons | Up to ¼ cup for richness |
| Flavor & Finishing | Salt | Pinch |
Condensed milk is what makes this halaya recipe taste like dessert instead of plain mashed yam — it brings the sweetness and that glossy finish. Evaporated milk and coconut milk add richness without making it heavy, and butter ties everything together right at the end.
How to Make Ube Halaya Step by Step
Prepare the Ube
- Boil the ube until a fork slides in easily, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- Let it cool, then peel and grate or mash it finely.
Tip: A potato ricer gets you a smoother mash with a lot less effort than a fork.
Blend for a Smooth Base
- Combine the grated ube, coconut milk, and evaporated milk in a blender.
- Blend until completely creamy, with no grainy bits left.
Pro Tip: Blending the ube with the milks before it hits the pot is what keeps ube halaya silky instead of stringy.
Cook the Halaya
- Pour the blended mixture into a large, heavy-bottomed pot with the condensed milk, butter, ube extract, and salt.
- Stir until everything is fully combined.
- Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously so it doesn’t catch on the bottom.
- Keep it at a slow, steady simmer (never a hard boil) for 40 to 55 minutes.
Tip: Use a light-colored pot so you can actually see if anything starts to stick or scorch.
Check Doneness and Finish
- Drag a spatula across the bottom of the pot — if it leaves a trail that holds for a couple seconds, it’s ready.
- Stir in sugar to taste and mix it through completely, then take the pot off the heat.
- Spoon the halaya into containers and let it cool completely before storing.
Pro Tip: Finished ube halaya should look and move like thick mashed potatoes, not pudding.
Expert Tips for Perfect Ube Halaya
Pro Tips for Success
The key to silky ube halaya is blending the ube with the milks before it ever hits the pot. Skip this step and you risk a grainy texture that stirring alone won’t fix.
For best results, cook in a heavy-bottomed pot and keep the heat on medium-low the whole time. Thin pots heat unevenly, and that’s exactly where scorching starts.
The most common mistake is rushing with high heat to save time — instead, let it thicken slowly over 40 to 55 minutes for that classic dense, spreadable texture.
Ube halaya works best when you taste and adjust the sugar at the very end, after the condensed milk and coconut milk have had time to blend their sweetness in.
Stirring constantly matters more than people expect. I learned that the hard way the first time I walked off for two minutes and came back to a scorched bottom.
Delicious Variations
Quick Version: Use store-bought frozen grated or mashed ube instead of boiling it whole — it shaves real time off this halaya recipe.
Extra-Rich Version: Use up to ¼ cup of butter instead of 2 tablespoons, and swap in salted butter for a deeper, more dessert-like finish.
Lighter Version: Ease up on the sugar and let the condensed milk carry more of the sweetness — start with less and add more only if it needs it.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Problem: The halaya turned out grainy instead of smooth.
Solution: Blend the ube with the coconut milk and evaporated milk longer, or run the ube through a potato ricer before cooking.
Problem: It’s sticking and scorching on the bottom.
Solution: Lower the heat, switch to a light-colored heavy-bottomed pot, and stir more often — don’t walk away while it cooks.
Problem: It never seems to thicken up.
Solution: Give it more time over medium-low heat. Higher heat causes scorching, not faster thickening.
How to Store and Reheat Ube Halaya
| Storage Method | Duration | Best Practice |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Up to 1 week | Keep in an airtight container |
| Freezer | Several months | Freeze in portioned bags, thaw as needed |
Since it’s dairy-based, treat ube halaya the way you’d treat any creamy dessert and skip leaving it out at room temperature for long. The fridge or freezer is where it belongs between servings.
Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until it loosens up and turns glossy again — a couple minutes is usually all it needs. You’re warming it, not cooking it again.
Leftover ube halaya is great stirred into milk for an ube shake, spread on toast, or swirled into warm pandesal. It keeps well, so there’s no reason to let extra go to waste.
1 Kilo Ube Halaya Recipe with Condensed Milk FAQs
Can I make this ube halaya recipe ahead of time?
Yes. Ube halaya keeps well in the refrigerator for up to a week, which makes it a solid make-ahead dessert or homemade gift.
Do I need ube extract, or can I skip it?
The recipe uses ube extract for both flavor and color. Skipping it gives a milder taste and a less vivid purple, since fresh ube doesn’t always hold its color through cooking.
How do I know when ube halaya is done cooking?
Drag a spatula across the bottom of the pot. If it leaves a clear trail that holds for a couple of seconds and the texture looks like thick mashed potatoes, it’s ready.
Can I freeze ube halaya?
Yes. Freeze it in portioned bags or containers for several months, then thaw before serving or using it in another dessert.
Can I use less sugar or condensed milk?
You can scale back the sugar at the end to taste. Condensed milk is part of what gives this recipe its set texture and sweetness, so cutting it heavily will change both consistency and flavor.
Your Turn to Make This Ube Halaya
Seriously, this is one of those recipes that looks fancy but is mostly just stirring and patience. If you’ve got 40 free minutes and a pot, you can make this.
Save this ube halaya recipe to Pinterest so you don’t lose it, and tell me in the comments how yours turned out. I mean it — I read every one.
If you’re into ube desserts, you’ll probably like this ube banana pudding too.
Want more sweets to bake this week? Try this double chocolate strawberry banana bread or these no-bake strawberry pretzel cups.
This ube halaya recipe with condensed milk turns 1 kilo of purple yam into a thick, glossy, scoopable dessert everyone asks about. Save this pin so you’ve always got the steps on hand.
