Desserts

Iced Fruit Mix (Halo-Halo)

The literal translation of Halo-halo is "Mix-mix". This iced dessert is a melange of sweet fruits, beans, tapioca, leche flan and ube jam, served with crushed ice, milk and sugar in a tall glass. Like a parfait, it yields a variety of flavors with every spoonful. Use as many or as few as you like of each ingredient listed.

3 ripe plantains (about 12 oz/350 g)

½ cup (200 g) sweetened red mung (mongo) beans, drained

1 cup (250 g) sweetened white beans, drained

1½ cups (300 g) sweetened jackfruit, drained

1 cup (250 g) sweetened palm nuts (kaong), drained

1 cup (200 g) cooked sago pearls

½ cup (100 g) superfine sugar Crushed ice

3 cups (750 ml) fresh milk

6 heaped tablespoons purple yam (ube) jam

Six 4-cm (1½-in) slices Creme Caramel (see page 93), each slice quartered

½ cup (50 g) crispy rice cereal or toasted young rice (pinipig)

6 scoops ice-cream (any flavor)

1 Boil the plantains for 10 minutes or until tender. Peel and slice into l-in (2½-cm) pieces. Set aside to cool.

2 Divide the plantains, mung beans, white beans, jackfruit, palm nuts and sago equally between 6 tall dessert glasses and add sugar to taste.

3 Fill the glasses with crushed ice. Pour about ½ cup (125 ml) milk into each glass. Spoon the jam, Creme Caramel and crispy rice cereal or toasted rice on top of the crushed ice. Top each glass with a scoop of ice cream and serve with long-handled spoons.

The sweetened beans, jackfruits and palm nuts are sold in bottles in Asian grocery stores.

Serves 6

Preparation time: 20-30 mins

Mixed Fruit Cocktail in Sweet Coconut Milk (Guinataan)

4 cups (1 liter) water

8 oz (225 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bitesized pieces

5 oz (150 g) taro, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

8 oz (225 g) purple yam (ube), peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces

2-3 cups thickly sliced plantains

4 oz (120 g) rice flour

4 oz (120 g) sago pearls

3½ oz (100 g) fresh or canned jackfruit, cut into bitesized pieces

1½ cups (375 ml) thick coconut milk

1½ cups (300 g) sugar

1 Bring the water to a boil in a stockpot. Add the sweet potatoes and taro and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Add the yam and plantains and simmer for 4-5 minutes.

2 Moisten the rice flour with just enough water to make it sticky, then shape into small balls. Drop the rice flour balls, sago pearls and jackfruit into the liquid and continue to simmer. Stir in the thick coconut milk and sugar.

3 Simmer until all the ingredients are tender, about 20 minutes. When cooked, do not cover the pot or the dessert will spoil. Serve warm.

Sago pearls are tiny dried balls of sago obtained by grinding the pith of the sago palm to a paste and pressing it through a sieve. It is glutinous, with little taste and is often used in Asian desserts. Sago pearls should not be confused with fresh sago, which is starchy and sticky.

Serves 10-12

Preparation time: 40 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

Milky Corn Surprise (Mais Con Hielo)

Part of the fun of eating this milky dessert lies in stabbing at the crushed ice to get to the bottom of the bowl, where the sweet corn lies. A truly refreshing dessert, this is a favorite of Filipinos.

Two 15-oz (415-g) cans cream-style corn

¾ cup (150 g) sugar 3 cups (750 ml) evaporated milk or fresh cream Crushed ice

1 Set aside six dessert bowls or tall dessert glasses. Spoon 1/₂ cup cream-style corn and 2 tablespoons sugar into each bowl or glass.

2 Pour ½ cup milk or cream into each bowl then top with the crushed ice.

Serves 6

Preparation time: 5 mins

Fresh Coconut Delight (Buko Salad)

This dessert combines young fresh coconut strips with canned fruits. A sweet, creamy concoction, Buko Salad is a favorite at Filipino gatherings.

2 cups (225 g) fresh young coconut strips

1 cup fresh or canned diced peaches, drained

½ cup fresh diced pineapple or one 15-oz (450-g) can tropical fruit cocktail, drained

1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream

1 cup (250 ml) sweetened condensed milk

8-10 maraschino cherries, to garnish (optional)

1 Toss the fresh coconut strips and diced fruits in a mixing bowl.

2 Add the whipping cream and condensed milk and mix well.

3 Chill for several hours in the refrigerator. Spoon into dessert bowls and top each portion with a cherry, if desired.

Young coconut strips, known in the Philippines as buko strips, are sold in bottles in Asian grocery stores.

Serves 8-10

Preparation time: 30 mins

Chilling time: 3-4 hours

Coconut Milk Pudding (Maja Blanca)

1½ cups (300 g) sugar

3 cups (750 ml) thin coconut milk

2 cups (500 ml) fresh cream or evaporated milk

1 cup (200 g) cornstarch

Two 15 oz (450 g) cans corn kernels, drained

Latik

1½ cups coconut cream

Serves 8

Preparation time: 40 mins

Cooking time: 1 hour

1 To make the Latik, stir the coconut cream over low heaL Simmer until the coconut oil separates from the solids and the coconut cream solids thicken and form thick, brown granules, about 30 minutes. Set aside the coconut oil and the Latik garnules.

2 Mix the sugar, thin coconut milk and cream or evaporated milk in a bowL Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Add the cornstarch to the reserved mixture and stir.

3 Heat the remaining mixture in a casserole over medium heat and bring to a boiL Add the corn and the cornstarch mixture. Stir until the mixture thickens. Add the reserved coconut oil a little at a time, if needed, to prevent the mixture from sticking to the casserole.

4 Pour into a buttered container and set aside to cooL When cool, remove the pudding from the container. Slice and sprinkle some Latik granules over each piece before serving.

Purple Yam Pudding (Haleyang Ube)

10-12 purple yams, (about 4 lbs/2 kg)

1½ cups (375 ml) evaporated milk

2⅓ cups (585 ml) sweetened condensed milk

1 cup (200 g) sugar

½ cup palm nuts (kaong), optional

Serves 6-8

Preparation time: 30 mins

Cooking time: 30 mins

1 Boil the yams in water until tender. Peel then mash the yams finely with a potato masher.

2 Put the mashed yam in a pot or wok. Pour in the evaporated milk and condensed milk. Add the sugar. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon to ensure the bottom does not scorch.

3 Cook until the mixture thickens and becomes difficult to stir.

4 Set aside to cool. Top with palm nuts, if desired, then serve.

Do not cover the yam pudding while it is still hot as this will cause it to spoil.

Crème Caramel (Leche Flan)

1 cup (150 g) dark brown sugar

¼ cup (60 ml) water

6 eggs + 2 egg yolks

1½ cups (300 g) sugar

1½ cups (375 ml) cream or evaporated milk

2 tablespoons lime or lemon zest

4-5 thin slices lime, to garnish (optional)

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 mins + 3-4 hours chilling time

Cooking time: 1 hour

1 Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan. Allow the sugar to melt over low heat until a syrup forms. Pour immediately into a loaf pan or casserole. Swirl the pan or dish to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside.

2 Lightly beat the eggs and egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and cream or evaporated milk and stir. Strain the mixture then pour into the loaf pan or casserole. Stir in the lime or lemon zest.

3 Cover the pan or dish with aluminum foil. Place in a steamer and steam for about 1 hour or until the caramel is firm to the touch. Set aside to cool. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or overnight before serving.

4 To serve, run a spatula or knife along the edge of the pan or dish to loosen the caramel. Turn out onto a serving platter and garnish with the lime slices if desired.

Rolled Meringue with Egg Yolk Filling (Brazo de Mercedes)

Filling

8 egg yolks

1¼ cups (300 ml) condensed milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons lime or lemon zest

Meringue

8 egg whites

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1¼ cups (250 g) sugar

1 teaspoon almond essence (optional)

½ cup (60 g) confectioners' sugar

Serves 8-10

Preparation time: 50 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

1 To make the Filling, mix the egg yolks and condensed milk in a double boiler. Simmer, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to thicken, about 20 minutes. Add the butter and sugar and continue stirring for 5 more minutes.

2 Fold the lime or lemon zest into the mixture. Continue stirring over simmering water until the mixture turns light orange and thickens, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3 To make the Meringue, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and almond essence, if desired, and continue beating until stiff peaks form, about 10 minutes.

4 Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a greased baking tray with waxed paper and grease the waxed paper well. Sprinkle confectioners' sugar onto the waxed paper. Spread the egg white mixture on the paper, covering it entirely. Bake until the top is lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

5 Line a separate greased baking tray with waxed paper as before. Invert the Meringue onto this waxed paper so that the browned side faces down.

6 Spread the Filling on the Meringue. Fold in one side of the Meringue towards the middle. Fold the other side over to enclose the Filling. Dust with confectioners' sugar, cut into thin slices and serve.

Place the waxed paper on top of a greased baking tray and grease the paper.

Spread the egg white mixture on top of the confectioners' sugar.

Remove Meringue from tray. Place browned side down on a second greased baking tray.

Fold one side of meringue towards the middle, then the other to overlap.