Creamy ube blended together with the richness of cream cheese, this ube cheesecake is another delicious way to serve ube this coming holidays.
In this recipe, the earthy, creamy ube gets paired with rich and tangy cream cheese to make a decadent dessert. Ube cheesecake is moderately sweet and the flavors of the ube and cheese are perfectly balanced.
I used fresh ube that are often abundant in our supermarkets around this time. It is always a joy whenever I find them because it is not very often. And in times when the fresh ones are not available. I resort to the frozen grated ones. In fact, I first developed this recipe using frozen ones.
FROZEN UBE
- If you are using the frozen grated ube, let it thaw and then wrap them in foil, steam them for about 15-20 minutes until they are really soft.
- Mash the cooked yam until smooth and creamy and let cool.
- If you are using fresh ube, peel them and carve out any woody parts that may be present. Slice them into 1 inch thick rounds. Wash them thoroughly.
- Place them in a pot and add enough water to cover. Boil ube over medium heat until very soft.
- Mash the ube thoroughly. Cool before using.
MORE POINTERS
- Bake the ube cheesecake at 350 F for 40 minutes or until the center looks just about set with a small slight, steady jiggle. The cheesecake will fully set as it cools. Chill it in the fridge overnight before serving and cutting.
- I used simple Graham crust. For ease, you can buy Graham crumbs instead of the ones in cracker form so you eliminate one more step in the process. If you choose the whole crackers route, just process it and make 1 and 1/4 cup
Ube Cheesecake
Ube cheesecake made of creamy ube with the perfect note of sweetness and richness from the cream cheese.
Ingredients
For the Graham Crust
- 1 and 1/4 cup honey graham crumbs
- 1/4 cup melted butter
For the Ube Cheesecake Filling
- 1 lb fresh ube peeled, washed and sliced into 1-inch thick rounds
- 1 and 1/2 block cream cheese or 375 grams, softened.
- 1 and 1/4 cup sugar
- pinch salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp ube flavoring
Instructions
Make the Crust
Combine melted butter and graham crumbs in a bowl and stir until mixture looks like a coarse meal and all of the crumbs are moistened by the butter. Dump to an 8 inch spring-form pan and flatten the mixture to the pan by pressing them down using the base of a round cup. Make sure the crumbs are tightly packed. Chill in the fridge.
Make the Ube Cheesecake Filling
Place the sliced ube in a pot. Add enough water to cover them. Boil them over medium heat until very soft. Drain and transfer to a bowl and mash the ube. Allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 F. In the bowl of mixer, beat the cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Add the sugar and salt and beat until combined. Add the purple yam and beat until incorporated.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the ube extract. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake at 350 F for 40 minutes or until the center is almost set. Let ube cheesecake cool and chill in the fridge for 6-8 hours before slicing.