Ube ice cream is a custard-style ice cream flavored with ube (purple yam) - mild, sweet, and often compared to vanilla with a hint of coconut and pistachio. This version builds a proper egg-yolk custard base, so the texture is dense and scoopable rather than icy, and includes a no-churn method for anyone without an ice cream maker.
Why Ube, and Why Now
If you haven't encountered it yet, you likely will soon. Ube — a purple yam native to the Philippines - has grown by roughly 230% across U.S. restaurant menus over the past four years, and 2026 has been its biggest year yet in the mainstream:
Starbucks added an iced ube coconut macchiato to its national spring lineup, King's Hawaiian launched ube coconut sweet rolls, and ube-focused festivals have drawn crowds in the tens of thousands. Ube ice cream specifically remains the most-consumed ube dessert by volume, since it's the version most widely stocked in mainstream grocery stores.
The flavor itself is genuinely mild - closer to vanilla with nutty, coconut-adjacent notes than anything bold or starchy which is part of why it translates so easily into ice cream, lattes, and baked goods without needing to be "hidden" behind other flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 15–30 drops OOOFlavors Ube Flavor Concentrate
- 4 large egg yolks
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- Purple food coloring (optional — see note below)
Directions
1. Heat the base
Combine the cream, milk, sugar, salt, and ube concentrate in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Do not let it boil.
2. Temper the egg yolks
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until pale and slightly thickened. Slowly add about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture to the yolks, whisking constantly — this "tempers" them, warming them gradually so they don't scramble when combined with the rest of the hot liquid.
3. Thicken the custard
Pour the tempered yolks back into the saucepan with the remaining cream mixture, whisking constantly. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon - a finger dragged through it should leave a clean line. This typically takes 5-8 minutes. Do not let it boil, or the eggs will curdle.
4. Strain and finish
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl to catch any bits of cooked egg. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk until fully combined. Add food coloring now if using.
5. Chill
Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight. A properly chilled base churns faster and freezes with a smoother texture.
6A. With an ice cream maker
Churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, typically 20-25 minutes, until it's the texture of soft-serve. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours before serving.
6B. No-churn method
Pour the chilled custard into a shallow freezer-safe container. Freeze 45 minutes, then whisk vigorously to break up ice crystals. Repeat every 30-45 minutes for about 3 hours, until it holds a scoopable texture.
Yield: about 1 quart, 6-8 servings
About the Color
Real ube's color ranges from pale lilac to deep violet depending on the specific tuber, so a few drops of purple food coloring isn't cutting corners - it's standard practice even among ube specialists, since the flavor concentrate alone won't reliably produce a consistent shade batch to batch.
If you'd rather skip added color entirely, the ice cream will taste identical; it'll simply be a paler, more grayish-lavender than the vivid purple most people associate with ube desserts.
How Much Flavoring to Use
15-30 drops gives you room to tune the intensity — start at 15, taste the base before chilling, and add more in 5-drop increments if you want a bolder flavor.
Because this base is rich in cream and egg yolk, it sits at the higher end of our usual dosing range; fat mutes flavor the same way cold does, so a custard base generally needs more concentrate than a water-based recipe of the same size. Full guidance is on our Suggested Usage Charts.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Custard curdled or looks grainy | Overheated, or eggs added too fast | Strain to smooth it out; next time, temper more slowly and watch the heat |
| Ice cream froze too hard | Custard bases can still freeze firm without enough fat/sugar balance | Let sit 5-10 min at room temp before scooping |
| Flavor is too subtle | Cold and fat both mute flavor perception | Increase to 25-30 drops next batch |
| Color looks gray, not purple | No food coloring used, or flavor-only batch | Add a few drops of purple gel color; this doesn't affect flavor |
| Icy texture instead of creamy | Base wasn't fully chilled before churning, or froze too slowly (no-churn) | Chill a full 4 hours; agitate more frequently for no-churn |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ube taste like?
Mild and sweet, often described as vanilla with nutty, coconut-like undertones — closer to a subtle dessert flavor than anything bold or starchy, despite the vivid color.
Is ube the same as taro or purple sweet potato?
No. Ube is a distinct yam species (Dioscorea alata) with a naturally deep purple color throughout. Taro has white flesh with purple flecks and a more savory, earthy flavor; purple sweet potato is a different plant entirely with its own flavor profile.
Can I make this without an ice cream maker?
Yes — see the no-churn method in the directions above. It takes more hands-on attention over about 3 hours but produces a comparable texture.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Yes, as written. Always confirm specific brands of your add-ins (like the food coloring) if you're cooking for someone with a gluten sensitivity.
Can I make this eggless?
Yes, though it will be a Philadelphia-style ice cream rather than a custard — omit the egg yolks and tempering step, and add the sweetened condensed milk directly to the warmed cream mixture before chilling. The texture will be slightly less rich but still good.
More Ube and Frozen Desserts
Try Ube Flavor Concentrate in pancakes, cheesecake, or lattes, or browse our Passion Fruit Sorbet for a dairy-free frozen option.
