Vibrant Purple Ube Ice Cream

This ube ice cream is strikingly purple, with a mellow, nutty sweetness that tastes like a cross between vanilla and coconut. It is rich without being heavy, and the color alone makes it a conversation piece.

Best part? You do not need a machine to churn it. A quick no-churn method gives you a scoopable, creamy texture straight from the freezer.

What Makes This Ube Ice Cream So Good

The flavor is earthy and round, not cloying. Ube extract and jam do the heavy lifting, so the ice cream tastes unmistakably like real purple yam, not just food coloring.

Without an egg custard base, the texture stays light and velvety. Sweetened condensed milk keeps it soft enough to scoop right out of the freezer, which is rare for homemade ice cream.

Ingredients

• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk: the sweetness and silkiness come from here; full-fat, not low-fat
• 2 cups heavy cream, cold: whips up fluffier when cold, so keep it in the fridge until you need it
• 2 tsp ube extract: this is where the vivid purple and that signature roasted-nutty flavor live
• ¼ cup ube halaya (purple yam jam): adds depth and tiny flecks of real ube throughout; if your jam is sweet, no need to adjust the sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract: rounds out the edges without competing
• Pinch of fine sea salt: just enough to make the ube pop

Variations / Substitutions

• Coconut ube: swap the vanilla extract for ½ tsp coconut extract and fold in 2 tbsp toasted shredded coconut before freezing.
• Fresh ube: if you can find fresh purple yams, steam and mash ½ cup until smooth and use it in place of the ube halaya. The color will be less electric but the flavor tastes nuttier and more earthy. You may need an extra teaspoon of ube extract to brighten the purple.

If you like this, you will probably want to try halo-halo next with a big scoop of this same ice cream on top.

How to Make Ube Ice Cream

Step 1: Whip the Cream

Pour the 2 cups of cold heavy cream into a large mixing bowl. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat on medium-high speed for about 3 to 4 minutes until the cream holds firm peaks. It should look thick and pillowy, with the tip of the peak standing straight up when you lift the whisk.

Stop before you overbeat it. Grainy, broken cream cannot be undone, so as soon as the surface starts to look set and the ridges from the beaters hold their shape, you are there.

Step 2: Fold in the Ube Mixture

In a separate bowl, stir together the 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk, 2 tsp ube extract, ¼ cup ube halaya, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Whisk until it turns into a uniform deep-purple syrup with no white streaks from the condensed milk.

Scoop about a third of the whipped cream into the ube mixture and fold with a spatula until it is mostly combined. Then scrape that lightened purple mix back into the big bowl of whipped cream and fold slowly, scraping the bottom and rotating the bowl. After about 10 to 12 gentle folds, the whole bowl should be an even violet color with only a few wispy cream streaks showing. Leaving a couple faint streaks is fine, but overworking the cream will deflate it and make the final ice cream dense.

Step 3: Layer and Freeze the Ice Cream

Scrape half the ube cream into a standard 9×5 inch loaf pan and smooth the top with the back of the spatula. If you have extra ube halaya, drop a few small spoonfuls on that layer and swirl them in with a butter knife. Add the remaining ube cream on top and smooth it flat.

Press a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper directly onto the surface of the ice cream, then slide the pan into the freezer. Freeze for at least 6 hours, or overnight if you can wait. The surface wrap prevents ice crystals from forming on top.

Step 4: Scoop and Serve

Pull the pan from the freezer and let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes to soften just slightly. Run your ice cream scoop under hot water, shake off the water, and drag it firmly across the surface to form a tight curl. Pile a couple scoops into a chilled bowl or on a sugar cone and eat right away while it is creamy and cold.

A Few Notes Before You Start

• Chill your mixing bowl and beaters in the fridge for 10 minutes before whipping the cream. Colder equipment means a faster, more stable whip.
• If your ube halaya is thick and pasty, warm it in the microwave for 10 seconds and stir it so it loosens up before mixing it in.
• Run ice cream scoops under hot water between each scoop to get a clean, round shape without struggling.

How to Store Leftover Ube Ice Cream

• Freeze: keep it in the same loaf pan with the plastic wrap pressed flush against the surface, and it will stay creamy for up to 2 weeks. Longer than that and it may start to get icy at the edges.
• Softening: no-churn ice cream freezes harder than store-bought because it has less air and fewer stabilizers. Let it soften on the counter for a full 5 minutes before you try to scoop it.

What to Serve With Ube Ice Cream

Drizzle warm coconut caramel over a scoop so the salty-sweet sauce melts into the cold cream. A crisp, buttery shortbread cookie on the side adds the right crunch without fighting the flavor. For something darker, a square of bittersweet chocolate shatters into the ice cream and balances the sweetness with a little bitterness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different sweetener instead of condensed milk?

No, not if you want the same result. The condensed milk is what keeps the ice cream soft without churning, so swapping it for sugar or honey will produce a much harder, icier texture.

Where do I find ube extract and ube halaya?

Check the Filipino section of your local Asian grocery store, or order them online. The extract is usually a small glass bottle, and the halaya comes in jars.

What if I do not want such a vivid purple color?

Use only the ube halaya and skip the extract. The flavor will still be mildly nutty and sweet, but the color will be a softer lavender-grey instead of bright purple.

Can I churn this in an ice cream machine?

Yes. Mix the condensed milk and ube together, whisk in the heavy cream without whipping it, and pour the liquid straight into your machine’s frozen bowl. Churn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then transfer to a loaf pan and freeze until firm.