This Iced Ube Latte will definitely be a hit for both lovers and non-lovers of ube alike!
If there’s one positive thing the force vacation during the ECQ has resulted in, it’s my newfound love for making coffee drinks. I love coffee on its own to begin with, but for some reason I never quite actually felt the pull to explore the world of making coffee drinks. On my explore page one day, I stumbled upon the wonderful Instagram account of Caffeinated with Chi. She posts a lot of short tutorials on how to make different kinds of cafe-level drinks, not necessarily featuring coffee all the time, but it’s quite the treasure trove of things to try.
This Iced Ube Latte isn’t the first drink I’ve tried from her account, but it’s one of my absolute favorites. And to think I almost ordered an expensive-ass cup of ube latte from an online seller that Instagram so nicely suggested to me! Luckily enough, I dodged a bullet there when a friend of mine told me she tried it and while it looks ube, it doesn’t really taste like anything other than a normal latte. So I kind of just threw the idea of buying ube latte out the window, deciding I’ll bide my time and eventually find a recipe to make on my own.
Well, ladies and gents, this stuff is SO GOOD. I literally drank Iced Ube Latte like everyday for a week. And by the end, when I had just a bit of ube paste left over, I added a touch of milk and turned it into ube milk. That was awesome too.
The great thing about this latte is that you use actual ube jam to create a flavor base for this drink. It’s not just about dumping ube jam to the bottom of the glass. You cook the jam with coconut milk and condensed milk and essentially turn it into a runny paste-like concoction. The coconut brings out the ube taste a little more methinks, and the addition of condensed milk means the resulting drink can be sweet enough without added sugar. This paste is the secret to having the flavor of the ube actually present and prominent in the drink. It’s also the secret to the beautiful hue of the latte after mixing.
Ain’t that pretty?
Recipe notes
- It is important that you use the best quality, best-tasting ube jam you can get your hands on. My personal favorite is Bahay Pastulan‘s ube halaya. It’s got a ton of natural ube flavor on its own already so it’s a solid choice.
- When building the latte, you are free to use the ratios you prefer for milk and coffee. You can also add more ube paste according to your preference. The ratio I shared is one I personally use for pretty much all the lattes I make. In this case, I think it creates a balanced cup with just enough coffee taste and just enough ube taste while being just creamy enough too.
- You can add some sweetener if you like a sweet latte. I don’t normally take my coffee with sugar so the ube paste on its own was sweet enough for me. Do remember that the ube paste has condensed milk in it (and the jam is sweetened too!) so you may want to hold back on the sweetener. Add a little bit first and taste before adding in your usual portion.
- Pair this drink with my favorite Ube-Cheese Pandesal recipe!
Iced Ube Latte
Ingredients
For the ube paste
- ½ cup ube halaya or jam
- ¼ cup 60 mL coconut milk
- ¼ cup 60 mL condensed milk
- ½ teaspoon ube extract, optional
For each serving of latte
- 2 Tablespoons ube paste
- Ice cubes
- ¼ cup 60 mL milk of choice
- ¼ cup 60 mL strong coffee or 2 shots (60 mL) espresso
- Condensed milk to sweeten as desired
Instructions
Make the paste
- In a saucepan, combine the ingredients until well-mixed and just steaming hot. If you feel it’s too thick, thin out with more coconut milk a tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consistency. Transfer to a jar with a lid but allow to cool before sealing in. Keep in the fridge until ready to use, but try to finish it within a week. If the paste clumps up once chilled, give it a little mix to loosen before using.
Make the latte
- In your serving glass, add the ube paste to the bottom. Add in ice cubes, then pour in the milk. Gently pour in the coffee if you want to show off the layers. Serve with a spoon. Make sure to stir the latte until the color turns pinkish and the drink is well-mixed. Enjoy!
Notes
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