These lamb-stuffed pitas are surprisingly easy to make and so full of flavor! Make arayes for your next get together with friends and no one will leave hungry (but they will all be super happy.) Shuk: From Market to Table, the Heart of Israeli Home Cooking, the latest cookbook from Einat Admony and Janna Gur

On this post, I will be presenting anything with UBE, my mom's favorite. Be it ube cake, be it ube halaya or ube jam, name it. It is hers alone to devour. Let's start off with the varying versions of the UBE Cupcake. First, a little backgrounder from Wikipedia.org: Ube (or ubi) is the Filipino word for purple yam (Dioscorea alata). It contains pigments that gives its bright lavender color. In the Philippines, ube is cooked with sugar and eaten as a sweetened dessert or jam called halaya ube which is a medium violet color (see image below). Ube is also an ingredient in the fruity dessert halo halo, another popular Filipino dessert. In India, this vegetable is known as ratalu or violet yam. Also known as Taro. In Marathi this is known as KondFal (कोंदफळ). In Tamil it is called as "Rasa Valli Kilangu", In Vietnam, it is called khoai mỡ. In other parts of the Malay world, the word ubi refers to any yam or tuber. In Tonga, Samoa and Tahiti: ʻufi," in Hawaiʻi: uhi." Ube is sometimes confused with the Okinawa sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas cv. Ayamurasaki). In botany, this species is also known by the names "water yam" and "winged yam." Funny factoid from Irene: Ube is the hypercolor of the vegetable world: http://chickenuggetoe.com/blog/?p=48 Ube puree + baking soda = aqua Ube puree + lemon juice = hot pink Ube puree + batter = gray Baked ube cupcakes = green. NOW, the UBE Cupcakes: Ube Cupcake With Macapuno Whipped Cream http://almapalmero.blogspot.com/2009/04/ube-cupcake-with-macapuno-whipped-cream.html ube cupcakes: makes 14 cupcakes 1/2 cup macapuno 1/2 cup ube jam 1/2 cup milk 2 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1 stick butter 1 tsp vanilla 1 1/2 cups flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp salt 1/2 tsp McCormick ube flavoring Method: Preheat oven to 180 C. Sift flour, baking powder and salt, set aside Place ube jam in a large bowl. Mix together with 1/2 cup milk, vanilla and ube flavoring. Gradually blend until smooth, set aside. In a seperate bowl mixed butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined. Add a portion of flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix on low speed until just combined, then add a portion of ube/milk mixture, continuing to alternate between the flour and the ube/milk until everything is combined. Stir in macapuno. Place baking paper cups into muffin pans and spoon 1/4 cup batter into each cups. Bake for 180 C for 20 to 25 minutes or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pans and let it cool on a wire rack. Frost cupcakes with macapuno frosting. macapuno whipped cream frosting: enough to lighty frost 14 cupcakes 1/2 cup nestle cream 1/2 cup macapuno Whip cream until double in volume. Add the macapuno and fold in gently till combine. Frost cooled cupcakes. top with macapuno and enjoy! These cupcakes tasted great! Macapuno and Ube...great combination The Manila Machine Ube Cupcakes by Let Me Eat Cake http://theletmeeatcake.blogspot.com/2010/06/eat-my-ube-cupcake.html Makes 3 dozen cupcakes (adapted from Martha Stewart white cake) Cake 4 ½ cups cake flour 2 tablespoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt 1 ½ cups whole milk 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 2 ¼ cups sugar 7 large egg whites 1 20ml bottle of ube extract Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with cupcake wrappers and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl sift together cake flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream butter. Gradually add sugar to butter and beat until mixture is light and fluffy about 3 minutes. Next, add flour mixture to creamed butter and sugar in 3 batches. Add milk to mixture in between batches of flour. Continue to mix in batches until all of the flour and milk are added to the butter and sugar. Scrape down sides of bowl with a spatula. Mix until batter is well combined. Do not overbeat! Once mixture is combined add ube extract and stir together until entire mixture is completely purple. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. Take beaten egg whites and gently fold into cake batter in three batches. Be careful not to deflate egg whites when folding into batter. Pour batter into prepared cupcake tins ¾ of the way full. Bake at 350 for about 16-18 minutes or until a cake tester is inserted and comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before frosting. Coconut buttercream frosting ½ cup butter ½ cup shortening 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon coconut extract 4 cups powdered sugar ¼ cup milk ½ cup freshly grated coconut (for garnish) * You can also use shredded sweetened coconut for a garnish* Cream together butter, salt, sugar and shortening. Next add powdered sugar and milk. Finally add coconut extract and stir until combined. Ube Cupcakes and Macapuno Frosting http://burntlumpia.typepad.com/burnt_lumpia/2008/02/ube-cupcakes.html Cupcakes: Makes about 2 dozen 1 cup grated ube yam (can be found frozen in Asian markets) 2/3 cup milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 12 Tablespoons butter (1.5 sticks), softened 2 1/4 cups sugar 4 large eggs 4 Tablespoons vegetable oil 3 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Thaw and drain ube yam. Place ube on a small sheet of foil, place foil in steamer basket and steam for 15-20 minutes until ube is soft. Remove ube from heat, place in small bowl, and mash ube with a spoon. Allow ube to come to room temperature, then add milk and vanilla to ube and mix well. Set aside. Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, until blended after each addition. Add oil and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add a portion of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Then add a portion of the ube mixture to the egg mixture, continuing to alternate between the flour and ube until everything is just combined. Place paper baking cups into muffin pans and spoon batter into cups until 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Frost cupcakes with Macapuno Frosting. Macapuno Frosting 1/2 cup butter, softened 8oz. cream cheese, softened 1 cup Macapuno strings, chopped (Macapuno is jarred coconut found in Asian markets) 8oz. powdered sugar, or up to 16 oz for a sweeter frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese until creamy. Add the macapuno and mix to combine. Gradually add the powdered sugar and continue to mix until everything is combined. Ube Cupcake with Ube buttercream frosting http://clairebakescakes.blogspot.com/2010/01/ube-cupcake-with-ube-buttercream.html Ingredients: 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup cake flour (not self-rising) 1 tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp. salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp. 2 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract or 1 1/2 pandan extract 3 large whole eggs, plus 1 egg white 1 cup milk 1 Jar (12 oz.) purple yam Purple coloring Direction: Preheat oven to 350F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. With an electric mixer or stand mixer, on medium high. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the extract and mix well. Add whole eggs and the white, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the milk, and beating until well combined. Add purple yam and mix well. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake, rotating tins halfway though, until golden and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes, turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored up to 1 day at room temperature in airtight container. To finish, fill a pastry bag fitted with a large open star tip (Wilton 8B) with the buttercream frosting. Ube Buttercream: 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp. 1 cup ube yam 1 tsp. pandan extract purple coloring 4 cups powdered sugar milk (You have to eyeball this, approx. 6-10 tbsp. milk) Direction: Cream the butter well. Add the ube yam and pandan extract, mix well. Add the pandan extract, mix well. Add powdered sugar carefully or you will end up like me (see picture below). Slowly add 1 tbsp. of milk at a time until the consistency you want is achieved. Pipe on the cupcake and store or enjoy! Ube Cupcakes with Bubble Buttercream http://chockylit.blogspot.com/2006/06/ube-cupcakes-with-bubble-buttercream.html 24 regular cupcakes / 350 degree oven Ingredients: 3-4 small to medium purple yams (ube) 4 large eggs, room temperature 2 cups sugar 1 cup oil, grapeseed or vegetable 1/2 cup macapuno, chopped 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup buttermilk milk Method: 1. Peel and slice the yams into inch thick slices. Transfer into a medium pan, rinse, then cover with cool water. Bring to boil and simmer until tender. Mash with a fork 2. Crack eggs into a large bowl. Beat with a whisk until yellows and whites are combined. 3. Gradually add sugar and whisk until combined. 4. Add oil and whisk until combined. Add chopped macapuno and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. 5. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. 6. Add about a third of the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix to combine. 7. Add about one half of the buttermilk and mix to combined. 8. Repeat above, alternating flour and buttermilk and ending with the flour mixture. 9. Scoop into cupcake papers about half to two-thirds full (depending on whether you want flat or domed cupcakes. Note that these cupcakes will don't shrink. Two-thirds full will result in domed cupcakes.) 10. Bake for 22-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. cooked ube baked ube cupcake Bubble Buttercream 3 cups water 1/4 cup tapioca balls 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature 5-6 cups powdered sugar, sifted 1 teaspoon vanilla Method: 1. Boil the water in a medium saucepan (I used the water from the yams). 2. Add the balls to the boiling water and boil for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Turn off heat and let the balls steep in the water for another 30 minutes. 4. Transfer balls to a sieve and rinse with cool water to remove starch. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cold water until ready to use. 5. Beat butter in an electric mixer until soft. 6. Add 3 cups of the sifted sugar and beat until combined. 7. Drain tapioca balls and measure out 1/2 cup. Fold into the frosting. 8. Add remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, stirring until combined. Note: This frosting was very soft and almost looked a little curdled. It definitely has a not so pretty texture, but it tasted fine. The tapioca balls are a novelty and perhaps not necessary. There is the added interest of the chewy texture, but I am not sure it’s worth the sacrifice in the visual appeal. If you are looking for something picture perfect, definitely skip this recipe. It needs work. tapioca balls Assemble 1. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. 2. Crush about a 1/3 cup of unsalted peanuts with about a teaspoon of salt. Sprinkle over cupcakes. A great recipe. It was so good when I tried it. Even though the color is green. I can't let you see though..... SERVES 24 -30 (change servings and units) Change to: Servings US Metric 1 2 3 4 5 clear stars Write a Review! (optional) Submit Cancel Ube Cupcakes http://www.recipezaar.com/recipe/Ube-Cupcakes-176796 Ingredients 2 large purple yams (ube) 4 large eggs, room temperature 2 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup evaporated milk Directions: Peel and slice the yams into inch thick slices. Transfer into a medium pan, rinse, then cover with cool water. Bring to boil and simmer until tender. Mash with a fork. Crack eggs into a large bowl. Beat with a whisk until yellows and whites are combined. Gradually add sugar and whisk until combined. Add oil and whisk until combined. Add chopped macapuno and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. Add about a third of the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix to combine. Add about one half of the buttermilk and mix to combined. Repeat above, alternating flour and buttermilk and ending with the flour mixture. Scoop into cupcake papers about half to two-thirds full (depending on whether you want flat or domed cupcakes. Note that these cupcakes will don't shrink. Two-thirds full will result in domed cupcakes.). Bake for 22-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. UBE CUPCAKES http://www.bakespace.com/recipes/detail/Ube-Cupcakes/8106/ INGREDIENTS 2 large purple yams (ube) 4 large eggs, room temperature 2 cups sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup evaporated milk DIRECTIONS Peel and slice the yams into inch thick slices. Transfer into a medium pan, rinse, then cover with cool water. Bring to boil and simmer until tender. Mash with a fork. Crack eggs into a large bowl. Beat with a whisk until yellows and whites are combined. Gradually add sugar and whisk until combined. Add oil and whisk until combined. Add chopped macapuno and vanilla and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in another bowl. Add about a third of the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix to combine. Add about one half of the buttermilk and mix to combined. Repeat above, alternating flour and buttermilk and ending with the flour mixture. Scoop into cupcake papers about half to two-thirds full (depending on whether you want flat or domed cupcakes. Note that these cupcakes will don't shrink. Two-thirds full will result in domed cupcakes.). Bake for 22-25 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Ube Cupcakes Recipe: http://journalling-sunsets.blogspot.com/2008/08/ube-cupcakes.html Ingredients: 1 cup of unsalted butter (2 sticks) 2 cups of sugar 4 large eggs (I used 5 small) 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 2.5 cups of flour 1 cup milk 1 cup ube jam I changed that a bit, i added more ube jam and a bit less sugar. I also used skimmed milk. For the frosting: 250 grams of cream cheese 1/2 cup of butter 3 cups of sugar 1/2 cup ube jam I changed this, too, a bit, added less butter and more ube, and so less sugar. Mix all that and you've got your cream cheese frosting. Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit which is about 170 Celsius. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and set aside In a different container; mix butter and sugar using a mixer until fluffy Add one egg at a time, and mix. Then add ube. Add flour mixture and milk, in intervals Fill your containers half to two-thirds full and place in the oven for about 20 minutes. The larger the container, the more it will take to bake. Bake till fork/toothpick comes out clean. Now find your way and decorate your cupcakes. They didn't come out purple, but the icing is sort of a pastel purple, you could use violet food coloring. If you can find purple yams, then boil and mash them and add them instead of using the jam/powder. You could also use this: Purple Yam Frosting• 3 cups grated cooked purple yam (ube) • 1 ½ cups sugar • 1 1/4 cup evaporated milk • ½ cup butter • about 1 ½ cups fresh milk 1. In a medium sauce pan, mix purple yam, sugar and evaporated milk and place in medium heat. Keep stirring. 2. Add butter in batches. Alternate with fresh milk. Keep mixing until desired consistency, for spreading or for piping. Remove from heat. Let cool. Vanilla Cupcakes with Flan Filling and Purple Yam Frosting http://aubreybaby.travellerspoint.com/1/Tip: One can make the flan earlier. They keep well in the fridge for a day or two. Vanilla Cupcakes • 2/3 cup butter • 1 1/2 cups sugar • 2 large eggs • 2 teaspoons vanilla • 2½ teaspoons baking powder • 2½ cups flour • 1¼ cups milk 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. In large bowl, cream sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, vanilla, baking powder and salt. 3. Add flour in batches of ½ cup, alternating with milk. (End with milk.) 4. Beat at low speed for 30 seconds or until mixture is smooth and consistent. 5. Fill cups two-thirds full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 6. Cool on wire rack. Flan Filling • 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided • 6 egg yolks • 2 whole eggs • 1 1/2 cups evaporated milk • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (optional) 1. Prepare a baking pan that can hold about 2 cups of liquid (about an inch high in the pan). Melt 1/2 cup of the sugar in the pan over low heat. Tip pan back and forth to distribute caramelized sugar evenly and avoid burning. Set aside to cool. 2. In a medium bowl, mix milk, eggs, egg yolks, lemon and remaining sugar. Mix well and avoid beating to lessen bubbles. 3. Strain egg mixture twice and pour in caramel-lined pan. Cover with aluminum foil and place in a larger baking pan. 4. Set it in the middle shelf of the oven. Pour hot water in the bigger pan until it reaches almost halfway through the height of the custard pan. (Bain marie method) 5. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 6. Let cool to room temperature. To unmold, run a knife around the sides and quickly turn the pan over into a plate. Pour the caramel sauce over it. I used 2 loaf pans for my flan and it worked just fine. The cooked flan looked like this: Purple Yam Frosting • 3 cups grated cooked purple yam (ube) • 1 ½ cups sugar • 1 1/4 cup evaporated milk • ½ cup butter • about 1 ½ cups fresh milk 1. In a medium sauce pan, mix purple yam, sugar and evaporated milk and place in medium heat. Keep stirring. 2. Add butter in batches. Alternate with fresh milk. Keep mixing until desired consistency, for spreading or for piping. Remove from heat. Let cool. I was thinking about adding in some purple food coloring, but my purple yam turned out with a pretty shade of purple on its own so I didn't. Assembly 1. Cut off the top of the cupcake in the shape of an upside-down pyramid. Flip the top over and cut off about a centimeter from the point of the pyramid. 2. Cut the flan in 1”x1” cubes and use these to fill cupcakes and replace the top of the cupcakes. 3. Frost with purple yam. The end product was a striking purple garden. Uhm, I thought it was just too purple to look at, so I took a pandan leaf, cut it in triangular strips, and stuck them into the purple yam. It looked posh. And smelled freshly sweet too. Ube Cupcakes http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/ube-cupcakes/ Ingredients 1 cup Purple Yam, Ube 1 cup Whole Milk 1 tsp Pure Tahitian Vanilla Extract 18 tbsp Butter 1 1/4 cups Sugar - Raw Turbinado 4 eggs 2 cups Cake Flour 2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder Aluminum Free 1/4 tsp Salt 8 oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese 2 cups Confectioners Sugar 10-X Powdered Directions Prep: Defrost frozen Ube. Take butter and cream cheese out to make them room temperature. Preheat oven to 350F. Place cupcake papers in muffin tins. Cupcake: Mix ube (once defrosted, you can scrape ube into measuring cup with a fork), milk, and vanilla extract. Set aside. Cream 10 tbsp of butter until smooth, then gradually add the sugar. Beat until light for about 3 or 4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to butter/sugar/egg mixture by hand, a little at a time, alternating with the milk/ube mixture. Stir until smooth. The mixture should be light purple, but not overwhelmingly so. Scoop matter into muffin tins lined with cupcake papers, using an ice cream scoop for help. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Frosting: Mix cream cheese and butter until creamy. Add one cup of powdered sugar at a time. Feel free to add some sprinklings of shredded ube to make the frosting purple. Frost cupcakes after 30 minutes of cooling. Mochi + Ube Ice Cream Cupcakes http://justjennrecipes.com/mochi-ube-ice-cream-cupcakes/2010/06/06/There’s nothing lovelier than a deep shade of purple. But what makes this ice cream so colorful? YAM of course. What. I thought a nice color – as well as textural – contrast would be to pair it with a cupcake – not just any cupcake, a mochi cupcake! ingredients: 1/3 cup butter, softened 1 cup flour 3/4 cup mochiko 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon baking powder pinch of salt 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/3 cup milk Ube ice cream UBE TARTS AND UBE PIES Macapuno-Ube Jam Tart http://almapalmero.blogspot.com/2009/04/macapuno-ube-jam-tart.html This is definitely an experimental recipe... that ended up tasted great, but need to work on the filling because it turned out too soft. Next time I will use fresh ube instead of jam and those white bits are sweetened macapuno. crust: makes one 8 inch tart pan1 cup flour 3/4 stick butter, cold, cut into cubes 1/8 tsp salt 1 tbsp sugar 3 to 4 tbsp cold water Pre-heat oven to 190 C Mix together flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. cut in the butter with pastry cutter or a fork until the mixtures resembles coarse crumbs. Pour in cold water little by little until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. Do not over mix. Turn out onto work surface, knead once or twice until dough comes together. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Remove dough from the refrigerator. On floured surface, roll out dough into circle (1/4 inch) thick. Lift dough using rolling pin and lay it over a 8 inch tart plate Press the dough along the edges of the tart pan to remove the excess. Prick all over with a fork so the crust won't balloon during baking. Bake at 190 C for 15 mins. macapuno-ube jam filling 1/2 cup ube jam 1/4 cup macapuno 2 eggs 1/2 cup cream 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 tbsp sugar Place ube jam in a large bowl. Mix together with 1/2 cup cream, vanilla and sugar. Gradually blend until smooth, Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined. stir in macapuno. Pour mixture into pre-bake crust and bake for 190 C for 20 minutes then bring down temperature to 170 C and bake for 25 minutes more. Remove from oven and let cool. Ube Buko Pie http://almapalmero.blogspot.com/2009/10/ube-buko-pie.html . Pâte Sucrée: Pronounced “paht sou-kray”, the texture of pâte sucrée is crisp & crumbly. A rich, sweetened dough with a texture similar to shortbread. Left over can be shaped and baked into delicious cookies. pate sucree - makes one 8 inch pie pan 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour 1 stick butter, cold and cut into small cubes 1 egg yolk 2 tbsp sugar 1/4 tsp salt 2 tbsp ice cold water Mix together flour, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter with pastry cutter or a fork until the mixtures resembles coarse crumbs. Combine egg yolk and cold water. Mix together until combined. Add mixture to flour mixture and stir with fork to moisten. Flour mixture should come together. Add a little more water if mixture is too dry. Do not over mix. Lay a plastic wrap onto work surface, place dough and lift the edges of plastic wrap until dough comes together and form into disc. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 190 C. Dust a work surface with flour. Roll out dough into thin sheet. Lift dough using rolling pin and lay it over a 9 inch pie pan. Press the dough along the edges of the pie pan. Trim, leaving half inch over hang. Fold under and crimp for decorative edge. Prick all over with a fork so the crust won't balloon during baking. Bake at 190 C for 15 minutes. ube buko filling 3/4 kilo fresh ube (purple yam) 1 young coconut 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 tsp vanilla 2 eggs 3/4 cup cream Steam ube until they are easily pierced with a fork. You may need to add more water as ube steam. Let ube cool slightly before removing skins. Place ube in the bowl and mashed until soft. Add sugar and cream blend until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Add vanilla and continue mixing until well combined. Stir in young coconut. Pour mixture into pre-bake crust and bake for 190 C for 20 minutes then bring down temperature to 170 C and bake for 20 minutes more or until center has set. Remove from oven and let cool. *note* this pie taste even better when cold. UBE CAKES: (Photos by Simply Anne's, Tinapayan Bakeshop via FavoursofIloilo.blogspot.com, smartshopper.net, store.shopmanila.com, mysarisarishop.com, allrecipe.com) Ube-Macapuno Cake http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/ube-macapuno-cake/Detail.aspx Original Recipe Yield 1 - 3 layer 9 inch cake Ingredients 2 1/2 cups cake flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup ube (purple yam), cooked and finely grated 3/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup corn syrup 7 egg yolks, lightly beaten 1/2 cup vegetable oil 7 egg whites 1 teaspoon cream of tartar 1 cup white sugar 6 drops red food color 6 drops blue food coloring 1 (12 ounce) jar macapuno (coconut preserves) 1 cup evaporated milk, chilled 3/4 cup white sugar 1 cup butter, softened 1 drop violet food coloring Directions 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line bottoms of 3 - 9 inch pans with parchment paper, but do not grease. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. 2. Place grated ube in a large bowl. Mix together 3/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla; gradually blend into ube until smooth. Blend in corn syrup, egg yolks, and oil. Beat in flour mixture until smooth; set aside. 3. In a large glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add sugar, then red and blue food coloring, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the whites into the batter, then quickly fold in remaining whites until no streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pans. 4. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the center of cake bounces back when lightly tapped. Invert pans on a wire rack and let cool upside down. When cool, run a knife around the edges to loosen cake from pans. Fill between layers with coconut preserves, then frost top and sides with butter icing. 5. To make Butter Icing: Combine evaporated milk and 3/4 cup sugar. set aside. Cream butter until light and fluffy; gradually add sugar mixture, and continue beating to desired spreading consistency. Add food color, one drop at a time until desired tint is achieved. UBE BREADS: Brazo de Violeta Recipe (Baked Meringue Roll with Ube Halaya) http://www.pinoyrecipe.net/brazo-de-violeta-recipe-baked-meringue-roll-with-ube-halaya/ Indulge your taste for ube by spreading the Halaya (Ube Jam) on baked meringue. Estimated cooking time: 50 minute Brazo de Violeta Ingredients: 1 ½ cups eggwhite ½ teaspoon cream of tartar 1 ½’ cups sugar Ube Filling: 1 ½ cups sugar ½ cup water 8-10 eggyolks, beaten 2 cups mashed ube ¼ cup softened butter Brazo de Violeta Cooking Instructions: Preheat oven at 250°F. Generously grease then line a jelly roll pan. Set aside. In the mixer, beat the eggwhites and cream of tartar at high speed until soft peaks form, gradually add the sugar while beating continuously until stiff. Spread evenly on the prepared pan. Bake for about an hour or until set. Prepare Ube filling: Boil the sugar and water until thread-like. Beat the eggyolks in the mixer until light and fluffy. Pour in the hot syrup while beating continuously until thick. Beat in the mashed ube and softened butter. If filling is too thick, add some milk. Put over medium fire and simmer until done. To assemble: Sprinkle a sheet of brown paper with confectioners’ sugar. Invert baked meringue on it. Peel off the paper lining. Spread the ube filling. Roll up the meringue to enclose the filling. Place seam-side down on a serving tray or platter. Pan de Coco and Pan de Ube http://www.cafenilson.com/2009/03/lasang-pinoy-sundays-bread-y-or-not/Pan de Coco 1 pound challah dough at room temperature Filling: 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut 1 cup sugar or honey 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 cup water Directions: Mix all ingredients in a pan and simmer on medium heat until all liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool. Best made the day before and refrigerate until it is time to use. Dust dough with flour and roll into a ball. Let rest for 10 minutes. Divide into two smaller balls. Take one dough and roll out into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Place coconut filling in the center of rectangle leaving 1/2 inch on all sides. Roll lenghtwise as if making cinammon rolls and seal seams and ends. Flatten a little bit on top then divide (using sharp knife or pasty cutter) into 6 equal portions. Place in baking sheet (lined with parchment paper) about an inch apart, cover with plastic wrap or kitchen towel and let rest until doubled in size (mine took one hour). Preheat oven 350F. Remove plastic cover and brush top of dough with egg wash. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in wire rack. To make Pan de Ube: Follow the same instructions as above for the dough. Place ready-made ube jam enough to cover the rectange with 1/2 inch space left all around. Fold, cut and let pieces rest until doubled. Bake at 350F for 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in wire rack. Notes: You can also make these bread into rolls, placing a tablespoon worth of filling in each flattened roll of dough. I wanted my bread to look like the ones we used to buy at our local bakery store where we grew up so I flattened them instead of shaping into rolls. Macapuno Ube Ensaymada http://ch3rri-blossoms.blogspot.com/2010/03/macapuno-ube-ensaymada.html http://kusinanimanang.blogspot.com/2008/11/supersoft-ensaymada.html Ingredients: 5 cups bread flour (separate 1 + 1 + 3) 1/2 cup sugar 2 envelopes Fleischmann’s RapidRise Yeast (1 envelope is 0.25 oz = 2-1/4 tsp) 1 tablespoon salt 1 cup milk 1/2 cup water 2/3 cup shortening (also known as lard, purico in Philippines, strutto in Italy) 1 cup mashed potato 2 eggs 3 egg yolks 2-oz grated sharp cheddar cheese, added to the 3-cup flour above(I used Helluva Good brand, because it comes closest to the kind of cheese paired with ensaymada that I grew up with. It's up to you to experiment with other cheeses.)- [UPDATE 12-23-08: I tried 2-oz crumbled feta cheese and it was wonderful! I loved the cheesy effect on the dough. Save your cheddar cheese for topping instead.] melted butter (approximately 1 stick) softened butter (approximately 1 stick to 1-1/2)(for rolled method) (Note: Before you turn your nose up with the shortening here, wait for my next post comparing the two). Directions Combine 1 cup flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat milk, water and shortening until very warm (120º to130ºF). Gradually add to dry ingredients. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in mashed potato, eggs and 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes at high speed, scraping bowl occasionally. Stir in remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Detach dough hook and cover dough plus hook loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours. Remove from fridge and add the 3 egg yolks, stir setting on the mixer. Remove hook from the dough this time and cover loosely again with plastic then refrigerate for another 1-22 hours. The next stage will make use of a method depending on how hardworking you are or how time pressed you are. Coiled: If you got lots of time, do the old-fashioned way of coiling like katol by pinching off pieces from the chilled dough about the size of a small pandesal. Get only a few at a time and chill the rest of the dough again because it becomes harder to handle when warmer; it becomes too sticky. Sprinkling flour on work surface helps lessen the stickiness. Shape the dough into a long rope about a foot long and coil as previously illustrated in older posts. Place on greased baking pan and brush with melted butter. See this post for step-by-step slideshow on how to shape into coils. Rolled (para sa tinatamad): Get a chunk of dough about the same as one that you have for 2-lb recipes of bread (or about the size of a grapefruit or suha). Flatten to disk, fold over the four edges like that of an envelope, and roll to make a rectangle about 8 x 10 inches. Place a generous layer of softened butter except near the edges. Roll tightly from the long end. Cut in 1 to 1-1/2 inch intervals. Dip one end of cut side in melted butter then place on baking pan. Brush the rest of the surfaces with melted butter. [UPDATE 12-23-08: This whole batch can be divided into 3. When shaped into logs after you place your filling, wrap tightly in cling wrap and freeze. After freezing, let stand in room temp for about 15-20 minutes and cut with a knife to end up with 8-9 pieces minus the ends. Place in baking pan, preferably where they will crowd together to compress so they rise upward; ex., in 8x8 or 9x9 or round pans. Brush with butter. Let rise in warmed oven for about 45 mins to 1 hr, or until doubled in size. Bake as directed below. Cool down some or completely before applying topping of choice.] Let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (My favorite thing to do is place them in the oven and "start" baking then turn off after one minute then let rise for 30 mins to 1 hr. Once puffy enough, remove from oven and start heating up the oven). Bake at 350ºF for 12-15 minutes or until done. Remove from pans; cool on wire rack for about 30 minutes or until completely cool if not consuming immediately, and store in ziploc bag. To enjoy ensaymada the traditional Filipino way: Brush softened butter to warm ensaymadas (not too hot that it melts the butter), dunk in a bowl of sugar (or sprinkle the sugar on top), and top with finely grated cheese (the finer grater gives you soft looking curls of the cheese like in the photo above). UBE DESSERTS: Purple Yam - YUM! (Ube Halaya) http://www.latestrecipes.net/2009/09/29/purple-yam-yum-ube-halaya/Here’s how to make Halaya or Sweetened Purple Yam in photos, recipe follows at the end.. RECIPE FOR HALAYA (SWEETENED PURPLE YAM) Ingredients 1 1/2 cups grated cooked purple yam 1 cup evaporated milk or (traditionally) coconut milk 1 14oz can condensed milk a pinch of salt 1 tablespoon butter/margarine plus extra for smoothing the cooked yam note: I made these from fresh purple yam but you can also use the powdered form if you cannot really find fresh and have a craving for purple yam. You just add more milk if you find it too dry as you’re cooking it. And on texture..it’s my personal choice and preference, the traditional way of making it uses finely ground purple yam, which you can easily achieve with food processor or by using food mill or passing the grated yum through a fine mesh sieve. Here’s how: If using fresh, wash the purple yam thoroughly; Peel and slice it into big chunks and boil until tender. You may also leave the peel if you find it hard to do so and just peel it after boiling, just make sure you washed it thoroughly, remember it’s a root crop..it’s DIRTY. In a deep pot or saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the butter or margarine. Stir to combine well and on medium high heat, cook until the mixture thickens. You have to keep stirring while cooking to avoid lumps. It will get harder to stir as it cooks, so make sure you change hands to give the other arm a work out too :) Halfway through the cooking, add a tablespoon of butter. Mix well and continue cooking until it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan/pot and when you get some, it doesn’t fall off the spoon. Transfer the sweetened purple yam into well-buttered dish/dishes. Add a pat of butter on top of the mixture and using the back of a spoon, level and smooth the purple yam. That’s it! This is optional but definitely adds more yum factor: Top the purple yam with some sweetened macapuno before serving. Ube Halaya http://panlasangpinoy.com/2010/01/17/purple-yam-dessert-ube-halaya-recipe/ Ingredients: 1 lb. boiled purple yam, grated, shredded, or mashed 14 ounces condensed milk (about 1 can) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup butter Cooking procedure: 1. Heat a cooking pot then put-in the butter and let it melt. 2. Add the condensed milk then stir well. 3. Put-in the purple yam then continue stirring. 4. Add the vanilla extract and stir occasionally until the texture of the mixture becomes really thick (about 15 to 20 minutes under low fire) 5. Transfer the mixture to a mold or any container and let the temperature cool down. 6. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours then serve. 7. Share and enjoy! Coconut Cupcakes http://en.petitchef.com/recipes/pinoy-cupcake-sorbetes-cupcakes-fid-461286 Makes 24/350 degrees 1 1/2 sticks butter 1 1/2 cups sugar 3 eggs 2 cups all purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp salt 3/4 kakang gata/coconut cream Cream butter and sugar until it lightens in color Add eggs one at a time Sift flour, baking powder and salt 3 times Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture Add half of the kakang gata. Add the remaining dry ingredients then add the remaining kakang gata. Scoop into cupcake liners and bake for 15-20 minutes. White Chocolate Ganache 24 oz white chocolate, finely chopped 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 6 pcs Hershey's Kisses (melted) 1 tsp ube extract 2 tbsp grated cheese Simmer cream in pan Add hot cream to the white chocolate. Wait for 10 seconds then stir vigorously Cool ganache for 30 minutes then whip it as you would whip cream Divide mixture into 3. Add Hershey's Kisses into a third Add ube extract into the other third Add grated cheese into the last third Place ube, chocolate and cheese flavored white chocolate ganache in the freezer for 3 minutes. Scoop each into the cupcakes as you would ice cream into cones. Photos by links as provided.

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