(Chicago) – What food is more appropriate for summer than ice cream? It’s just invented for the season. Init ng panahon, lamig at sarap sa bibig – just complimenting perfectly, very refreshing.  So I’m used to the popular brands such as Magnolia, Selecta, Ben and Jerry’s, and Haagendazs.  But I have not attempted to make a homemade one before.  It seems like a tedious procedure as it is; what more to begin with a more difficult ingredient such as ube (purple yam). Game on!

I tried and I failed, the first time. But on the third try, the delectable purplish ube ice cream came out right. I’m a sucker for ube in general! Be it in ice cream, cake, pan de sal or pastry, ube does wonder on the flavor and texture.  And most importantly, ube is uniquely Pinoy.

More ube posts to come…

Ingredients:

Purple Yam Jam

  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 cup coconut milk
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ cup purple yam flour
  • ½ pound (1 cup) frozen grated purple yam, defrosted

Ice Cream Base:

  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 1 ½ cups whole milk
  • ¾ cup sugar

Directions:

Make the jam, whisk together cream, milk, coconut milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to simmer and then add the flour and grated yam. Lower the heat and keep stirring until thickened, about 8 minutes.

Set aside. Important note: If you like a really thick ice cream, use all of this jam for later.  This will be perfect for halo-halo or for a la mode desserts. But if you want your ice cream like those commercial ones which are not as thick, lessen the halaya (jam) by 2 cups. Store in a jar and use for other purposes. The remaining jam will be used for the next steps below.  I prefer this.

In a separate clean medium sauce pan, make the ice cream base. Whisk the base ingredients and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the remaining jam.

Whisk until fully blended.

Put the mixture in a blender and blend until smooth.

Transfer to a clean bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Blend the chilled custard again before putting in a electric ice cream maker. Follow  the manufacturer’s instruction.

Transfer to an airtight container and and freeze some more in the fridge until firm. Isn’t this a beauty? And delicious too. Enjoy!

The recipe is adapted from Amy Besa’s book, Memories of the Philippine Kitchen.