Starting this new mocktail series that aims to showcase flavors from my homeland, the Philippines. What better way to start it than with Ube?
Ube, or purple yam, is a root crop that’s native to Southeast Asia and is a staple ingredient in Filipino desserts. It has an earthy flavor that is reminiscent of vanilla and coconut. It also has a striking purple color! I’ve noticed that ube has been gaining popularity more and more in recent years. There’s even a number of different ube-flavored products at Trader Joe’s! Amazing! So I thought to make a mocktail recipe using this flavor.
I thought its unique flavor would go really well in an espresso martini. For this mocktail version, I used @ritualzeroproof ‘s Rum Alternative as my base spirit. The flavors of vanilla and molasses from the rum alternative work really well with ube. To brighten it up a bit (flavor-wise and color-wise), I added a splash of coconut milk to it. In case you didn’t know, ube + coconut = match made in heaven. The espresso adds in bitterness and depth, and a little bit of simple syrup just rounds all the flavors up.
Polvoron, or Philippine Shortbread, is one of my favorite Filipino delicacies. It’s made of powdered milk, sugar, and butter. I decided to crumble some ube-flavored polvoron and use it to garnish this Filipino mocktail.
Hope you give this recipe a try!
Ingredients:
2 oz Rum Alternative (I used @ritualzeroproof )
1 oz espresso (chilled)
1/2 oz simple syrup
1/2 oz coconut milk
1 dash of ube extract / a quarter of a bar spoon
Ube Polvoron for garnish (I used @goldilocksph / @goldilocks_usa )
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients (except garnish) in a cocktail shaker)
Add ice then shake for 30 seconds.
Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with crushed Ube Polvoron.
Cheers! 🍹⚡️