Trending Ube Desserts: Chefs Share Purple Yam Recipes

There is a colour that has taken over dessert menus, Instagram reels, and pastry shapes across the globe. Since the shade is so vibrant and unapologetically bold, it demands to be photographed, shared across Snapchat and Instagram before you take a bite. And that colour is purple! Ube is the ingredient responsible for the trending purple feeds, a humble root vegetable from the Philippines that has been a culinary staple long before purple yams starred on menus and in bakeries. If you too want to create an aesthetically pleasing dessert at home, here are some gourmet dessert recipes shared by Indian chefs that can be easily recreated at home.

Also Read: Why Filipino Ube Is Becoming The Next Trend After Matcha

Ube Ghewar Cheesecake with Rose & Pistachio

By Chef Varun Prashar, The Leela Palace Jaipur

“Marrying the architectural beauty of Jaipur’s ghewar with the velvety richness of Filipino ube cheesecake, this purple yam dessert is a must-try,” describes Chef Varun.

Ingredients:

• 4 mini ghewar discs
• 30 g unsalted butter, melted
• 400 g cream cheese
• 250 g purple yam purée (ube)
• 120 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 ml fresh cream
• 2 tbsp pistachio dust
• Candied rose petals, for garnish
• Edible silver leaf, optional

Instructions:

1. Lightly crush the ghewar and combine with melted butter. Press into dessert moulds.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
3. Fold in ube puree, vanilla, and fresh cream until silky.
4. Pour over the ghewar base and chill overnight until set.
5. Finish with pistachio dust, candied rose petals, and silver leaf before serving.

Ube, Vanilla Bean & Coconut Bavarian

By Chef Farhan, The Leela Gandhinagar

Describing the gourmet dessert, Chef Farhan says, “It is balanced, visually striking, and has all the right textures. If you’re looking for a recipe to incorporate viral ube, follow this recipe.”

Ingredients:

Kunafa Almond Base:

• 1 cup kunafa pastry
• 3 tbsp butter (melted)
• 3 tbsp almond flour
• 2 tbsp sugar

Ube Sponge:

• ½ cup flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp ube halaya / extract
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp milk

Vanilla Crèmeux:

• 1 cup cream
• 3 egg yolks
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 vanilla bean/paste
• 100g white chocolate

Ube Bavarian:

• 1 cup ube puree
• 1 cup whipped cream
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tsp gelatin (bloomed)
• 3 tbsp sugar

Mirror Glaze:

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup glucose syrup
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup condensed milk
• 150g white chocolate

Purple colour:

• 2 tsp gelatin (bloomed)

Instructions:

1. For the base, toast kunafa with butter, almond flour, and sugar. Press into moulds and chill.
2. In the meantime, whisk the eggs and sugar together. Fold in remaining ingredients. Bake at 180°C for 10-12 mins, cool, cut discs, and set aside. 
3. Prepare the crèmeux by heating cream with vanilla, mixing it into yolks, adding sugar, and cooking till thick. Pour over chocolate, blend till smooth, and let it chill.
4. Heat milk with some sugar. Next, add gelatin and mix with ube. Cool slightly, fold in whipped cream.
5. Finally, it’s time to assemble. Layer the base, sponge, crèmeux, and mousse in moulds. Freeze till firm.
6. To make the glaze, heat sugar, glucose, and water. Add condensed milk and gelatin. Pour over chocolate, blend, colour, and cool to 32°C. Pour over the frozen dessert and serve the vibrant sweet treat.