Ube espasol is a soft, chewy Filipino rice cake with ube, coated in toasted rice flour.
It's lightly sweet, a little sticky, and the kind of snack you'll find wrapped in paper and sold in markets or pasalubong shops.
This version is easier than it looks and uses ingredients you may already have at home.
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Glutinous rice flour: Also called sweet rice flour. It is not actually sweet, but it gives espasol that soft, chewy texture.
- Tapioca flour: I added a little for a chewier, more stretchy texture. If you don't have it, use the same amount of glutinous rice flour.
- Ube: You can use fresh or frozen ube. Purple sweet potatoes also work and taste very similar. If using ube halaya, reduce the sugar by ¼ cup.
How to Make Ube Espasol (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Combine the wet ingredients
In a bowl, combine:
- 1 cup mashed ube
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ube extract (optional)
- a pinch of salt
Mix until as smooth as possible.
Step 2: Toast the glutinous rice flour
In a pan or wok, toast 2¼ cups of sticky rice flour over medium heat.
Keep stirring for about 20 minutes, until the flour turns light brown and smells nutty.
If it starts to smoke, lower the heat.
Set aside ½ cup of the toasted flour for coating later.
Step 3: Add the tapioca flour
Reduce the heat to low, then add ¼ cup of tapioca flour.
Keep mixing for about 2 minutes until well combined. Turn off the heat.
Step 4: Prepare your work surface
Place a 12x12-inch piece of parchment paper on a flat surface.
Sift some of the reserved toasted flour over it so the espasol won't stick, leaving a little space around the edges.
Step 5: Cook the espasol mixture
Pour the wet mixture into the pan with the toasted flour.
Set the heat to medium and stir until smooth.
Use a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon since the mixture will get thick.
Spread and fold the mixture as it cooks.
Do this for about 10 minutes, until evenly mixed.
It will become stickier, chewier, and darken slightly in color.
When it thickens and becomes harder to stir, it's ready!
Step 6: Spread the espasol
While still warm, transfer the sticky mixture onto the prepared parchment paper.
Spread it evenly to about ½ inch thick, or however thick you like it.
Step 7: Coat the espasol
Generously dust the top with toasted flour.
Cut into rectangles, logs, or any shape you like.
Roll each piece in more toasted flour to coat, then shake off any excess.
Enjoy the ube espasol warm, or let it cool completely before serving.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
You can also freeze it and thaw at room temperature until soft again.
Tips for Making Ube Espasol
- Use a nonstick pan: The mixture gets very sticky as it cooks, so a nonstick pan or wok makes it easier to stir.
- Toast the flour slowly: Stir often so it browns evenly without burning.
- Keep stirring: Stir and fold constantly so the mixture cooks evenly and doesn't stick.
- Work while warm: Espasol is easier to spread, cut, and coat while still warm.
Recipe FAQs
Ube espasol is a soft and chewy Filipino rice cake, or kakanin, made with glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, and ube.
It's a twist on the classic espasol with the same chewy texture and toasted flour coating.
Yes. Purple sweet potato works really well and is what I used here. It has a similar flavor and gives the espasol that beautiful purple color.
It probably needs a little more cooking. Keep stirring and folding until it thickens and becomes harder to stir.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze it, then thaw at room temperature until soft.
More Ube Recipes
- Ube cheese pandesal: Soft bread rolls with ube halaya and cheese.
- Ube crinkles: Soft ube cookies rolled in powdered sugar.
- Ube ice cream: Creamy ube ice cream made with coconut milk.
- Ube mamon: Light sponge cakes flavored with ube.
- Ube puto: Soft steamed ube cakes, topped with cheese.
- Ube turon: Crispy fried turon with saba bananas and ube halaya.
- Ube hopia: Flaky pastry filled with ube.
- Ube suman: Steamed rice cakes with ube, wrapped in banana leaves.
- Ube kalamay: Purple rice cake, topped with latik.
- Ube pastillas: Sweet, milky ube candies.
Kakanin Recipes You May Like
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📖 Recipe
Ube Espasol
Equipment
- Non-stick pan or wok
- Spatula or wooden spoon
- Parchment paper
- Fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 2¼ cups glutinous rice flour
- ¼ cup tapioca flour
- 1 cup mashed cooked ube (or purple sweet potato)
- 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk (about 1⅔ cups)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ube extract or flavoring optional
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine the mashed ube, coconut milk, brown sugar, ube extract, and salt. Mix until smooth.
- Toast the glutinous rice flour over medium heat, stirring often, until light brown and nutty (about 20 minutes). Set aside ½ cup for coating.
- Reduce the heat to low and stir in the tapioca flour for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
- Prepare a piece of parchment paper (12x12 inches) and dust it with some of the reserved toasted flour.
- Pour the wet mixture into the pan with the flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring and folding for about 10 minutes until thick, sticky, and harder to stir.
- Transfer the warm mixture onto the prepared parchment paper and spread to about ½ inch thick.
- Dust the top with toasted flour, cut into pieces, then roll each piece in more toasted flour. Shake off any excess.
Notes
- Glutinous rice flour: Also called sweet rice flour; gives espasol its soft, chewy texture.
- Tapioca flour: Adds extra chew. You can replace it with more glutinous rice flour.
- Ube: Use fresh or frozen ube. Purple sweet potatoes also work. If using ube halaya, reduce the sugar by ¼ cup.
- Use a nonstick pan or wok: The mixture gets sticky, so it's easier to stir and less likely to stick.
- Toast the flour slowly: Stir often until lightly browned and fragrant.
- Keep stirring: Stir and fold constantly so it cooks evenly.
- Work while warm: Espasol is easier to spread and coat while still warm.
Len says
Sssoooooooo goooood!!!!!
Nora Reyes says
Hi Len, thank you so much! Glad you liked it!