Halo-Halo is a shaved ice dessert with layers of ube halaya, mixed fruits, beans, and jellies. It is then topped with crushed ice, milk, ice cream, pinipig, and leche flan. Customize with your favorites for a treat that's truly your own.
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What is Halo Halo?
Halo-Halo is a refreshing, sweet treat that is both colorful and delicious. Its name translates to "mix-mix" in English, which aptly describes how it's consumed by mixing all the ingredients together.
The dessert is composed of a variety of sweet ingredients with contrasting flavors and textures, then topped with crushed or shaved ice. A generous amount of evaporated milk or condensed milk is drizzled, then topped with Leche Flan, ice cream, and pinipig.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam): A sweet and creamy jam made from ube and coconut milk, adding an iconic purple color and distinct flavor.
- Sweetened Fruits: These are saba bananas, jackfruit, or pineapple cooked in syrup.
- Fresh Fruits: Ataulfo mangoes, melon, and buko (young coconut) add a refreshing touch.
- Root Crops and Legumes: Sweetened red mung beans, white beans, or chickpeas (garbanzo beans) add texture and protein. To make it hearty, add boiled sweet potatoes, taro, or sweet corn.
- Sago and Jellies: These are nata de coco in syrup, colorful jelly cubes made with gelatin or gulaman (agar-agar), and sago or tapioca pearls cooked to package instructions. If you want to learn more about how to cook sago, don't miss our step-by-step guide.
- Ice Cream or Sorbetes: Any flavor, with ube and mango being the most common choices for a creamy and luscious addition.
- Ice and Milk: Use shaved or crushed ice; evaporated milk or condensed milk for creaminess.
- Toasted Pinipig: These are pounded young rice that are lightly toasted for a crunchy element.
- Leche Flan: A special ingredient that adds an indulgent touch of creaminess and sweetness.
- Grated Cheese: An uncommon, optional ingredient that adds a savory twist and richness.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Prepare your ingredients, cutting them into small and uniform pieces. In a tall glass or wide bowl, start layering your ingredients.
Step 2: Add a generous layer of shaved ice on top. If you're using a wide bowl, the shaved ice becomes the base of the Halo-Halo.
Step 3: Next, add a scoop of ice cream, a portion of Leche Flan, and a sprinkle of toasted pinipig.
Step 4: Drizzle some evaporated milk over the top. Sweeten with sugar as desired. Enjoy your wonderful creation, savoring the medley of flavors, textures, and colors!
Recipe FAQs
Halo-Halo is a sweet treat that brings together a mix of flavors and textures in your mouth. It's like savoring ice cream and an array of fun ingredients all in one bite, with the added thrill of icy shaved ice. Imagine your favorite ice cream sundae, but even more exciting and full of tasty surprises!
While there are machines specifically designed for producing finely shaved ice, you don't necessarily need one. A good blender or food processor can achieve a similar effect, though the texture might be slightly different. If you're a Halo-Halo enthusiast or plan to make it regularly, investing in a shaved ice machine or an ice shaver or crusher might be worth it for that authentic, snow-like texture.
Try these refreshing Filipino treats
- Mango Shake: A creamy blend of ripe mangoes, milk, sugar, and ice.
- Avocado Shake: A rich, creamy shake made from blended avocados, milk, sugar, and ice.
- Sago at Gulaman: A drink made with sago, agar agar (gulaman), and grass jelly sweetened with arnibal or brown sugar syrup.
- Avocado and Milk: A simple, creamy treat of ripe avocado chunks mixed with evaporated or condensed milk and ice.
- Watermelon Slushie: A frosty drink made by blending watermelon chunks with ice.
- Ube Ice Cream: Creamy ice cream made with purple yam or ube, a staple flavor in the Philippines.
- Mango Ice Cream: Sweet ice cream infused with the flavors of ripe Philippine mangoes.
- Avocado Ice Cream: A unique, creamy ice cream flavor made from the rich and buttery avocado fruit.
Other street food recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Halo-Halo Recipe
Equipment
- Tall glasses or wide bowls
- Long spoons
- Ice shaver or crusher
Ingredients
- ½ cup ube halaya (purple yam jam) see note
- ¼ cup sweetened saba bananas see note
- ¼ cup mango cubes see note
- ¼ cup sweetened red mung beans see note
- ¼ cup sago see note
- ¼ cup nata de coco see note
- ¼ cup green gulaman or gelatin see note
- ¼ cup red gulaman or gelatin see note
- 8 cups crushed ice see note
- 1 cup evaporated milk see note
- 4 scoops ice cream see note
- ¼ cup leche flan see note
- ¼ cup pinipig see note
- Sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare your ingredients, cutting them into small and uniform pieces. In a tall glass or wide bowl, start layering your ingredients.
- Add a generous layer of shaved ice on top. If you're using a wide bowl, the shaved ice becomes the base of the Halo-Halo.
- Next, add a scoop of ice cream, a portion of Leche Flan, and a sprinkle of toasted pinipig.
- Drizzle some evaporated milk over the top. Sweeten with sugar as desired.
Notes
- Ube Halaya (Purple Yam Jam): A sweet and creamy jam made from ube, adding an iconic purple color and distinct flavor.
- Sweetened Fruits: There are saba bananas, jackfruit (langka), or pineapple cooked in syrup.
- Fresh Fruits: Ataulfo mangoes, melon, and buko (young coconut) provide a refreshing touch.
- Root Crops and Legumes: Sweetened red mung beans, kidney beans, or garbanzo beans add texture and protein. Boiled sweet potatoes, taro, or sweet corn offer hearty elements.
- Sago and Jellies: These are nata de coco (coconut jelly) in syrup, colorful jelly cubes made with gelatin or gulaman (agar-agar), and sago or tapioca pearls cooked to package instructions.
- Ice Cream or Sorbetes: Any flavor, with ube and mango being the most common choices for a creamy and luscious addition.
- Ice and Milk: Shaved or crushed ice; evaporated milk or condensed milk for creaminess.
- Toasted Pinipig (Pounded Young Rice): Lightly toast pinipig or use cornflakes for a crunchy element.
- Leche Flan (Caramel Flan): A special ingredient that adds an indulgent touch of creaminess and sweetness.
- Grated Cheese: An uncommon, optional ingredient that adds a savory twist and richness.
Ryan says
Yummy Halo Halo!!! This is definitely what I miss most about the Philippines.
Nora Rey says
Halo-Halo is such a treat! I completely understand why you'd miss it — it's one of my favorites, too. Hope you get to enjoy it again soon!