If you have a soft spot for Filipino desserts that truly wow your taste buds, then you are going to fall in love with this Ube Biko Leche Flan Recipe. It’s a beautiful marriage of creamy leche flan and sticky, sweet ube biko that creates a layered masterpiece full of vibrant color, luscious textures, and rich flavors. Whether you’re new to Filipino sweets or a longtime fan, this recipe offers a heartwarming experience that’s perfect for celebrations or simply treating yourself to something extraordinary. The contrast between the smooth flan and chewy coconut-infused rice topped with deep purple ube is just pure magic in every bite.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This Ube Biko Leche Flan Recipe may look fancy, but the ingredients are wonderfully straightforward — each one plays a starring role in making this dessert burst with flavor and texture. From the opulent creaminess of the leche flan to the signature purple pop of ube, every ingredient is essential and easy to find in Filipino stores or your local grocery market.
- Glutinous rice: creates the sticky, chewy base of the biko that holds everything together beautifully.
- Water: helps cook the rice to perfect tenderness without diluting the flavors.
- Coconut milk: adds a rich creaminess and authentic tropical taste to the rice layer.
- Ube halaya (purple yam jam): delivers that vibrant purple hue and distinct sweet yam flavor essential for an eye-catching dessert.
- Brown sugar: sweetens and deepens the overall taste of the rice with a hint of molasses warmth.
- Ube extract: enhances the purple color and boosts the yam’s unique aroma.
- Salt: a pinch balances and rounds out all the sweet components perfectly.
- Egg yolks: the golden base of the leche flan giving it that silky, custard-like texture.
- Sweetened condensed milk: brings luscious sweetness and creaminess to the flan layer.
- Evaporated milk: lightens the flan and adds depth without extra sweetness.
- Vanilla extract: a subtle fragrant note that complements both layers harmoniously.
- Granulated sugar and water (for caramel): creates the irresistible caramel bed that lends a slightly bitter contrast to the cake’s sweetness.
How to Make Ube Biko Leche Flan Recipe
Step 1: Prepare the Caramel Base
Start by combining granulated sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Avoid stirring while the mixture heats to prevent crystallization. Once the sugar melts and turns a rich amber color, quickly pour it into your baking pan, swirling it around to coat the bottom. Let it cool and harden; this caramel layer will give the dessert its signature bittersweet crunch beneath the creamy flan.
Step 2: Make the Leche Flan Mixture
In a large bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract until perfectly smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove any lumps or bubbles; this will ensure your leche flan is silky and without cracks. Pour this luscious custard over the cooled caramel in your pan, then tightly cover with foil. Steam gently for 20 to 25 minutes until just set, creating a creamy custard bed ready to support the ube biko.
Step 3: Cook the Glutinous Rice
While the flan is steaming, rinse the glutinous rice until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Combine the rice and water in a pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally, letting the rice absorb the liquid and become tender but not mushy. This careful cooking ensures your biko stays sticky and satisfying.
Step 4: Prepare the Ube Biko Mixture
In a separate pan, gently heat coconut milk, brown sugar, salt, ube halaya, and ube extract over low heat. Stir until everything blends into a fragrant, thick sauce. Add the cooked glutinous rice to this mixture, stirring continuously until the rice absorbs all the flavors and becomes sticky and glossy. This luscious ube biko layer is what takes this dessert from wonderful to unforgettable.
Step 5: Assemble and Steam the Final Dish
Once the leche flan is set yet still soft, carefully spread the ube biko evenly on top. Smooth the surface gently and return the entire dish to the steamer. Cover and steam for another 20 to 25 minutes to fully meld the layers together. When done, cool completely before refrigerating for at least two hours — chilling helps the flavors deepen and makes slicing a breeze. To serve, run a knife around the pan edges, invert onto a plate so the flan layer is gloriously on top, and marvel at the beautiful purple and golden dessert you created!
How to Serve Ube Biko Leche Flan Recipe
Garnishes
When it comes to garnishing this vibrant Ube Biko Leche Flan Recipe, simplicity is your friend. A light sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes or crushed latik (toasted coconut curds) adds texture without overpowering the flavors. You could also add freshly shaved purple yam or drizzle a little condensed milk for added sweetness and decoration.
Side Dishes
This dessert is wonderfully rich and satisfying on its own, but it pairs beautifully with a cup of strong black coffee or a refreshing calamansi iced tea. These beverages help balance the sweetness and leave your palate ready for your next bite of this luscious treat.
Creative Ways to Present
To impress guests, try serving the Ube Biko Leche Flan Recipe in individual glass jars or small ramekins, so each portion reveals the beautiful layers. Another idea is to top each slice with fresh fruits like mango or ripe banana for a bright contrast. No matter the presentation, this dessert is sure to be the star of any table!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Leftovers of this Ube Biko Leche Flan Recipe keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days when covered tightly with plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container. The flavors actually deepen overnight, making your next serving just as delightful.
Freezing
While freezing can affect the texture slightly, you can freeze pieces wrapped securely in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to a month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving, and note the biko layer may become a bit denser after freezing.
Reheating
For best results, reheat leftovers by steaming or warming gently in a microwave-safe dish covered with a damp paper towel. Avoid overheating as it may cause the custard to become rubbery. Warm just until heated through, and enjoy the rich flavors revived in each bite.
FAQs
Can I use regular purple yam instead of ube halaya?
Fresh purple yam can be used, but it needs to be cooked, mashed, and sweetened to mimic ube halaya’s texture and flavor. Ube halaya is convenient because it’s already prepared with the perfect sweetness and consistency.
Is it necessary to steam the leche flan and biko layers?
Yes, steaming gently cooks the layers without drying them out. It helps maintain the soft, creamy texture of the flan and the chewy consistency of the biko that baking might not achieve.
Can this recipe be made vegan?
Since this recipe relies heavily on eggs, dairy milks, and condensed milk, adapting it to be fully vegan requires substitutions that may alter the texture significantly. However, experimenting with coconut or soy-based custard alternatives could be interesting for vegan cooks.
What makes the Ube Biko Leche Flan Recipe unique compared to other Filipino desserts?
The combination of sticky rice sweetened with ube and creamy leche flan layered together creates a delightful textural and flavor contrast that’s rare in many desserts. It highlights two beloved Filipino treats in one spectacular dish.
Can I prepare parts of this dessert ahead of time?
Absolutely! You can make the leche flan and ube biko layers separately ahead of time and store them refrigerated. Assemble and steam them together just before serving to save time while maintaining freshness and flavor.
Final Thoughts
This Ube Biko Leche Flan Recipe is not just a dessert — it’s a celebration of textures, colors, and flavors that Filipino cuisine does so well. It’s perfect for sharing with loved ones or gifting a piece of tradition and sweetness to friends. Don’t hesitate to try it out and discover why it’s become a beloved treat that brightens up any occasion with its unique charm and warmth. Once you taste it, you’ll want to make it again and again!
Print
Ube Biko Leche Flan Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Filipino
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Ube Biko Leche Flan is a delightful Filipino dessert that combines the rich, creamy leche flan with a sticky, sweet ube-infused glutinous rice layer. This steamed treat offers a unique texture and vibrant purple color from ube halaya, making it both visually stunning and deliciously satisfying.
Ingredients
For the Ube Biko:
- 2 cups glutinous rice
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ¾ cup ube halaya (purple yam jam)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ube extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the Leche Flan:
- 10 large egg yolks
- 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Caramel:
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Prepare the Caramel: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar and water. Cook without stirring until the sugar dissolves and becomes a deep amber color. Immediately pour the hot caramel into a 9-inch baking pan, tilting to coat the bottom evenly. Set aside to cool and harden.
- Make the Leche Flan Mixture: In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove bubbles and ensure a silky texture. Pour this mixture over the cooled caramel in the baking pan. Cover tightly with foil.
- Steam the Flan Layer: Steam the covered flan over medium heat for 20–25 minutes or until it is just set. Let it cool slightly while you prepare the ube biko.
- Cook the Glutinous Rice: Rinse the glutinous rice under cold water, then combine with 1 ½ cups water in a pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until most water is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Prepare the Ube Mixture: In a separate pan, combine coconut milk, brown sugar, salt, ube halaya, and ube extract. Cook over low heat until blended and slightly thickened. Add the cooked rice to this mixture and stir continuously until the mixture becomes thick and sticky.
- Layer the Ube Biko: Once the flan layer is set but still slightly soft, gently spread the ube biko mixture evenly over the leche flan layer. Smooth the top carefully.
- Final Steaming: Steam the entire dish again for another 20–25 minutes, or until the combined layers are fully set.
- Chill and Serve: Allow the dessert to cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up. To serve, run a knife around the edges, invert onto a plate so the flan layer sits on top, and slice.
Notes
- Steam gently to avoid overcooking the flan, which can cause a rubbery texture.
- Prepare the biko and flan layers separately ahead of time and assemble before the final steaming for convenience.
- Use a fine mesh sieve when straining the flan mixture to ensure smoothness.
- Carefully spread the ube biko over the flan when it is just set but not fully firm to prevent mixing of layers.
- Refrigeration before serving improves slicing and flavor melding.
