Try Toasted Bread With Purple Ube Halaya For A Bright Breakfast Treat

Ube is emerging as the superfood that people can't get enough of. The humble tuber has seen variations ranging from ice cream to ube-flavored yogurt pretzels at Trader Joe's. If you've never worked with it, ube is a purple yam popular in Filipino cooking. (The word ube translates to "tuber" in Tagalog.) To define this violet-hued beauty by comparing it to another tuber is maybe a little unfair (ube is so unique!), but it tastes like a sweeter, more mellow sweet potato or the dessert-style cousin to savory taro. Sweet breakfast fans, this one's for you.

Ube halaya is a dark purple jam and the versatile spread your morning toast has been crying out for. When ube is cooked, the yam's natural sugars and nuttiness are emphasized, creating a complex flavor that is simultaneously floral, earthy, and sweet. (Think vanilla-pistachio vibes.) Ube halaya's rich, creamy texture comes from coconut milk and butter, making it oh-so spreadable.

All it takes is four ingredients: ube, butter, sugar, and coconut milk. Evaporated or condensed milk will work in a pinch, too. All the ingredients, minus the butter, get cooked low and slow in a saucepan until they develop a jam-like consistency. Then, add the butter and keep cooking until the mixture thickens up.

Fresh ube can be found in many Filipino grocery stores and can be grated to make a quick halaya. Frozen ube is often easier to track down and can also be grated. Powdered Ube works here, too. Just keep in mind it must be rehydrated before you can use it to make halaya.

Spread your halaya on thick toast for an elevated, Instagrammable brekky. Opt for a sturdy, crusty bread such as sourdough or country white. Top with fresh raspberries, blueberries, halved strawberries, banana slices, kiwi, pumpkin seeds, coconut shavings, or even shredded mozzarella cheese. Complete your flavorful, aesthetically pleasing breakfast with an ube latte. For a more substantial brunch, pair ube halaya toast with an acai bowl or a cotija cheese omelet. Have leftover halaya? Swirl it into a cake batter, use it as an ice cream topping, or eat it straight out of the bowl.