Perfectly Purple Ube

Introducing Perfectly Purple Ube

From Prince’s Purple Rain to the Minnesota Vikings' Purple People Eaters, there’s something universally appealing about the vibrant, cool-warm combination of the colors blue and red. 

As revered as purple is in popular culture (often associated with royalty and magic), it’s probably not the first color that comes to mind when you think of food … particularly dessert. Until, that is, ube came along.

Cabbage, Eggplant … Ube??

Ok, purple grapes, plums, even figs have always gotten plenty of love. And then there are fans of rich, regally-tinted veggies like cabbage and eggplant. But ube – a purple, yam-like root vegetable enjoyed for centuries in the Philippines – has only recently stepped into the spotlight here in the US.

Ube (pronounced “ooh-bay”) is traditionally eaten boiled or baked and has long been a staple in Asian pantries.

Slice it open and you’ll immediately be wowed by ube’s brilliant, deep violet color, attributable to its high amounts of anthocyanins (similar to what you’ll find in blueberries, blackberries, black rice and other dark-hued foods). 

And health benefits? Sure, similar to the sweet potato, ube is rich in healthy carbohydrates, vitamins and fiber and boasts high levels of antioxidants.

But does it belong in a dessert?

Most definitely. Sweeter than its better-known cousin (sibling?) the orange yam, ube's flavor has been described as nutty and smooth, earthy, even, with hints of vanilla and pistachio – some compare it to white chocolate, sweet and velvety, much like malt.

Here, at Mochidoki, we wanted to give you the opportunity to taste this popular flavor for yourself. Our Ube Mochi Ice Cream captures the vibrant color of its namesake, along with its uniquely rich and creamy texture.

Want to try more ube sweets? Mashed ube is the star ingredient of a popular Filipino dessert called ube halaya.

Or check out the ube doughnut from the Manila Social Club, credited for starting the Instagram ube trend.