The Wonderful World of Ice Cream: What is Ube Ice Cream?

Ice creams that are oddly colored, almost fantastical, are all the rage in Asia. No longer is ice cream restricted to the bland flavors of the past, limited to vanilla and chocolate – many boutique shops carry specialty flavors weaved in with heady fruit infusions or premium chocolate. 

Among the new novelty products, ube ice cream, with its extraordinary visual impact, has taken reign in recent years. Just once glance, and many are swept into its picturesque appeal, ranging in tones from a lavender purple to an electric violet. 

What Exactly is Ube?

Ube is a tuberous root vegetable that can be traced to the Philippines, where it is popular in desserts and other traditional confections. Out of the various cultivars, the Kinampay variety, grown mainly in the Visayas, is recognized as the most famous. 

Before it became a dessert star, ube was a survival food. In the Central Visayas region, particularly in Bohol, ube was reportedly the only crop that survived during extensive droughts in pre-colonial times. It became so revered that dropping one required an apologetic kiss to the dropped tuber.

On the outside, ube looks like a rough, brown, unassuming tuber. It is often mistaken for taro, though it has a nuttier flavor and thicker, bark-like skin.  But once you slice it open, you are greeted by a slab of violet-purple, similar to those purple-fleshed potatoes of the Incas. Unlike its savory relative, the sweet potato, ube is inherently understated. Like many exotic fruits, its flavor is difficult to pin down – its proponents describe its flavor as an interesting cross between vanilla, pistachio, and white chocolate. While its color is enviable enough, its flavor is not overly strong or unique, making it rather ‘beige’ in taste. 

How to Use Ube

Fresh ube, considered an invasive species, is difficult to source. While authentic traditional recipes require grating fresh ube and simmering it down with coconut milk and sugar for hours, home cooks have found ways to abridge the process. Ube products, such as ube halaya, a mashed form with a pudding-like texture, work great in dessert-making. Many variations have sprung up across the globe: it's swirled into drinks, breads, and even cheesecake. 

Ube can be used in: 

1. Hot or iced drinks: milk lattes, purple hot chocolate, milkshakes.

2. Smoothies and bowls 

3. Desserts: cakes, brownies, cookies, sweet rolls.

4. Pancakes, waffles and crêpes  

5. Dessert creams, mousses, homemade ice creams.

Additional Creative Fruit Infusions for Ice Cream

Homemade ice cream seems nonsensical, an outdated concept that had seen its heyday when horse-drawn carriages dominated the streets and laborers spent hours churning butter. It doesn’t help that commercial producers have access to ingredients to enhance texture that home kitchens lack. Despite those setbacks, there is still a growing subset interested in making their own ice cream. With the help of compact kid-friendly appliances like the Pukomc Home Ice Cream Maker, ice cream making has become something that can be done on a whim. 

For additional convenience, many gardeners choose to grow herbs on their kitchen countertop using a self-watering indoor planter. 

1. Citrus

Citrus-flavored gummies are well-liked, with kids often picking them out first among a stash of candy, while the odious grape-flavored ones are tossed into the trash. But when it comes to home-made ice cream, citrus fruits are often overlooked because their high acid content can cause dairy to curdle if not handled correctly. However, when balanced properly, citrus adds a refreshing twist.

• Meyer Lemon: Sweeter and less acidic than standard lemons, which can be ‘painfully sour,’ Meyer lemons offer a floral, aromatic note. This recipe calls for a simple foundation of  sugar, cornstarch, whole eggs, and Meyer lemon juice and zest. 

• Blood Orange: Another fad is to substitute unappealing vegetables – cauliflower and black beans – in place of sweet ingredients for desserts. The end result is a gritty, unpalatable travesty that is a pale simulacrum of the dessert it was supposed to emulate. This blood orange sherbert recipe takes advantage of the crisp taste of those ruby-red fruits while preserving the sweetness. 

2. Stone Fruits  

Stone fruits, such as peaches, plums, apricots, and cherries, have a naturally fleshy texture that translates beautifully into frozen desserts.

• Roasted Peach & Thyme: Roasting stone fruits before blending them into your ice cream base caramelizes their natural sugars, concentrating the flavor. Adding a sprig of fresh thyme while roasting introduces an earthy, herbal complexity that cuts through the rich cream.

• Black Cherry & Dark Chocolate: Known for its fairytales and its candy, Germany is largest exporter of candy and confections in the world. In this version of Black Forest ice cream, tart black cherries are blended into a rich chocolate base for a magical experience. 

3. Dragon Fruit  

Dragon fruit is striking, tropical, vibrant pink and wonderfully speckled. It can be grown in specialized planters. Many ice cream recipes begin with a fruit base, with additives like vanilla, sugar, and heavy cream, which are whisked together until the mixture is smooth. For maximum visual effect, use the pink dragon fruit variety. You can also try this no-churn dragon fruit ice cream recipe.