Ube Ice Cream Recipe

Warm liquids

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine whole milk and 1 cup of the heavy cream. Warm until just below simmering (steam rising, small bubbles forming at the edges), about 5 minutes. Do not boil.

Mix ube and sugar

Whisk the ube purée and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar together in a bowl until fairly smooth. If the purée is very thick, add 2–3 tablespoons of the warmed milk to loosen and whisk until homogeneous.

Combine with warm milk

Stir the ube mixture into the warmed milk gently until fully combined. Remove from heat.

Add condensed milk and flavor

Whisk in the sweetened condensed milk, the remaining 1 cup heavy cream, vanilla extract, and ube extract (if using). Taste and adjust sweetness—ube can vary in sweetness and color.

Temper egg yolks

In a small bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar until smooth and pale. Slowly ladle about 1/2 cup of the warm ube-milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to temper and avoid scrambling.

Finish custard

Pour the tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining ube-milk mixture. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of the spatula (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil.

Cool custard

Remove from heat and strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl to remove any cooked bits and ensure smooth texture. Let cool at room temperature for 15–20 minutes, then cover and chill in the refrigerator until fully cold, at least 3 hours or overnight.

Make cream cheese mixture

While the ube base chills, beat the softened cream cheese in a bowl with a hand mixer or whisk until smooth. Add powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, fine sea salt, and lemon juice (if using). Beat until smooth and spreadable. If too thick, add the remaining 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Taste and adjust salt to achieve a pronounced but pleasant salted-cream-cheese flavor.

Chill swirl

Place the cream cheese swirl in the refrigerator to firm slightly, so it will ripple through the ice cream rather than fully incorporating.

Churn the base

Once the ube custard/base is completely cold, give it a final whisk to recombine. Pour into your ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions until it reaches soft-serve consistency (typically 20–30 minutes). If you skipped the custard step, chill the mixed ube base thoroughly before churning (at least 4 hours).

Layer with salted cream cheese

Spoon a layer of churned ube into a freezer-safe container. Dollop a few spoonfuls of the chilled salted cream cheese mixture over the ice cream, then sprinkle a few optional purple yam chips or toffee bits. Continue layering ube ice cream and cream cheese dollops, using a butter knife or skewer to gently ripple the cream cheese through the ice cream to create marbled swirls. Aim for generous pockets of cream cheese rather than fully mixing it in.

Finish and freeze

Smooth the top, sprinkle a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) of flaky sea salt across the surface for contrast, and press a piece of parchment paper directly on top to reduce ice crystals. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.

Remove the ice cream from the freezer about 5–10 minutes before scooping to soften slightly. Scoop into bowls or cones, and if desired, finish with a tiny extra sprinkle of flaky salt or a drizzle of condensed milk. Serve chilled.