Description
Vibrant Iced Ube Latte featuring homemade ube syrup, infusing unique purple yam flavor and color. Easy to make and delicious!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup ube halaya (purple yam jam), store-bought or homemade
- 1/4 teaspoon ube extract (optional, for enhanced flavor and color)
- Pinch of salt
- 1–2 shots of espresso (or 1/2 cup strong brewed coffee), cooled
- 1 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy, such as oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk)
- 2–3 tablespoons ube syrup (adjust to taste)
- Ice cubes
- Whipped cream (optional, for topping)
- Ube powder or sprinkles (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Combine Water and Sugar: In a medium saucepan, combine the water and granulated sugar.
- Heat and Dissolve: Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. You should see a clear, shimmering liquid.
- Add Ube Halaya: Add the ube halaya to the saucepan. Stir well to incorporate it into the sugar syrup. The mixture will start to thicken and turn a vibrant purple color.
- Simmer and Thicken: Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. This allows the ube halaya to fully meld with the syrup and thicken it slightly. Be careful not to burn the syrup; keep an eye on it and stir frequently.
- Add Ube Extract (Optional): If you’re using ube extract, add it now. This will enhance the ube flavor and deepen the purple color. Stir well to combine. If you are using a high quality Ube Halaya, you may not need the extract.
- Add a Pinch of Salt: A tiny pinch of salt will balance the sweetness and bring out the ube flavor even more.
- Cool Completely: Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the syrup cool completely. As it cools, it will thicken further.
- Strain (Optional): If you prefer a smoother syrup, you can strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any small lumps of ube halaya. This is totally optional, though!
- Store: Once the syrup is completely cool, transfer it to an airtight container, such as a glass jar or bottle. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The syrup will thicken even more as it chills, so don’t be alarmed if it seems a bit thick when you take it out of the fridge.
- Brew Espresso (or Coffee): Brew 1-2 shots of espresso using your preferred method (espresso machine, Moka pot, etc.). Alternatively, you can brew 1/2 cup of strong coffee. Let it cool slightly. You don’t want to add hot coffee to your iced latte, as it will melt the ice too quickly.
- Prepare Your Glass: Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. The amount of ice you use will depend on your preference, but I usually fill the glass about 3/4 full.
- Add Ube Syrup: Pour 2-3 tablespoons of ube syrup over the ice. Adjust the amount to your liking, depending on how sweet and ube-flavored you want your latte to be. I recommend starting with 2 tablespoons and adding more if needed.
- Add Milk: Pour 1 cup of milk over the ube syrup and ice. You can use any type of milk you prefer dairy or non-dairy. Oat milk is a popular choice for lattes because it’s creamy and froths well. Almond milk and soy milk are also good options.
- Add Espresso (or Coffee): Gently pour the cooled espresso (or coffee) over the milk. Try to pour it slowly so that it layers nicely on top of the milk. This will create a visually appealing effect.
- Stir Well: Use a long spoon or straw to stir the latte thoroughly. This will ensure that the ube syrup is evenly distributed throughout the drink.
- Taste and Adjust: Taste the latte and adjust the sweetness and ube flavor as needed. If it’s not sweet enough, add a little more ube syrup. If it’s too strong, add a splash more milk.
- Top with Whipped Cream (Optional): If you’re feeling fancy, top your iced ube latte with a dollop of whipped cream. This adds a touch of indulgence and makes the latte even more delicious.
- Garnish (Optional): For an extra touch of visual appeal, sprinkle some ube powder or ube sprinkles on top of the whipped cream (or directly onto the latte if you’re not using whipped cream). This will enhance the purple color and add a subtle ube flavor.
- Serve Immediately: Enjoy your beautiful and delicious iced ube latte immediately!
Notes
- Make it a Blended Ube Latte: For an even more refreshing treat, blend all the ingredients (ice, ube syrup, milk, and espresso) in a blender until smooth. This will create a creamy, slushy-like consistency.
- Add a Shot of Vanilla Syrup: A shot of vanilla syrup will complement the ube flavor beautifully and add an extra layer of sweetness.
- Use Ube Extract in the Latte: If you want to boost the ube flavor even more, add a few drops of ube extract directly to the latte. Be careful not to add too much, as it can be quite potent.
- Make it Vegan: Use non-dairy milk (such as oat milk, almond milk, or soy milk) and vegan whipped cream to make this latte vegan-friendly.
- Experiment with Different Toppings: Get creative with your toppings! Try adding shredded coconut, chopped nuts, or even a drizzle of condensed milk.
- Adjust Sweetness: The sweetness of the latte can be adjusted by changing the amount of ube syrup used. If you prefer a less sweet latte, use less syrup. If you prefer a sweeter latte, use more syrup.
- Use Different Types of Coffee: While espresso is the traditional choice for lattes, you can also use other types of coffee, such as cold brew or French press. Just make sure the coffee is strong and cooled before adding it to the latte.
- Make a Hot Ube Latte: If you prefer a warm drink, you can easily make a hot ube latte by heating the milk and ube syrup together before adding the espresso.
- Make a Ube Cream Cold Brew: Top your cold brew with a thick layer of ube cream. To make the ube cream, whip heavy cream with ube syrup and a touch of ube extract until stiff peaks form.
- Infuse the Milk: For a more subtle ube flavor, you can infuse the milk with ube before making the latte. Simply heat the milk with a small amount of ube halaya or ube powder, then strain the milk before using it in the latte.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes