Ginataang Bilo bilo

A sweet dessert eaten warm or cold. For me, I prefer it as a cold snack. Jackfruit slices, banana, tapioca are nice additionals in making this a hit.

Ingredients:

2 cans Coconut Milk (250ml each)
3/4 cup sugar
purple yam
Gabi
Banana
Glutinous Flour
5 cups water
Slices of jack fruit
Tapioca pearls

Procedure:

1. In a separate bowl, mix glutinous flour with small amount of water. Mix and knead until you form a soft dough. Pinch a small portion to shape into a ball. Finish all and set aside,

2. Put coconut milk and water in a pan and let boil.

3. Add purple yam and gabi and lower the heat. Leave for 10 minutes then add tapioca pearls.

4. Drop the balled glutinous flour in the mixture and slowly mix. Drop the made balled glutinous flour one at at time to prevent it from clumping up.

5. Add the jackfruit and sliced banana plus sugar.

6. Let it boil for 5 minutes or until glutinous balls are done. Add hot water if too sticky.

Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!

Strawberry Torte

One of the easiest dessert I like whipping atthe last minute provided strawberries are in season. Make sure to make this the day or two upon purchasing strawberries for they may easily bruise and be soft. 

Ingredients:

Fresh ripe strawberries

Ready made Torte

Jello

water

Procedure:

1. Wash strawberries and cut top part of crown to flatten it. 

2. Prepare red jello as per box instructions.

3. Line top of ready made torte with cut up strawberries, crown facing down. 

4. Pour cooled red jello on top and of torte / strawberries and leave in fridge to set.

Serve with whipped cream on top. 

You can adapt this same recipe using different fruits but using clear jello.

Yema Balls

Image via Wikipedia

Yema is a Filipino term to describe sugar and soft milk mixture. 

Ingredients:

3 egg yolks 

180 g condensed milk 

120 g mashed potato 

1 tablespoon plain flour 

1 teaspoon vanilla essence 

1 tablespoon butter 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

Sugar Glaze: 

100 g sugar 

60 ml water 

1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar 

Procedure:

1. Combine all the ingredients and cook in a double boiler, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens (about 15 minutes). Set aside to cool.

2. Once cool enough to handle, roll into 2.5 cm diameter balls. 

3. For the sugar glaze, combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. 

4. Cook until syrup is lightly caramelized. 

5. Dip the Yema balls into the syrup and set aside to cool before wrapping in cellophane paper.

Here is a video of a yema recipe making use of jackfruit.

Ube Halaya (Purple Yam)

Ube Halaya (Purple Yam) with Latik on top. Photo by dollierv

Purple yam is used in a variety of desserts, as well as a flavor for ice cream, milk, Swiss rolls,tarts, cookies, cakes, and other pastries. In the Philippines, it is eaten as a sweetened dessert or jam called ube halaya and added as an ingredient in the ice dessert called halo-halo. In Maharashtra, the stir-fried chips are eaten during religious fasting. Purple yam is also an essential ingredient in Undhiyu.

Ube Halaya is a tedious job to do that it is normally prepared during special occasions only. It requires a lot of stirring in low fire until you get the sticky mixture that is consistent with this special treat.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ube (purple yam) (powdered ube is also available in Asian stores) 

250 g sugar 

1 can condensed milk 

2 cups coconut milk 

butter 

Procedure:

1. Boil yam until tender and cut into cubes, then grind in a food processor with sugar and coconut milk.

• If you have the powdered variety found in the Asian stores, you can skip this part and just mix ingredients: powdered purple yam, sugar and coconut milk.

2. Transfer to a wok and add the condensed milk. 

3. Cook over a low fire, stirring continuously. Continue stirring until the mixture turns into a thick paste and separates from the pan. 

4. Transfer to a shallow platter or pan and brush top with butter. Allow to cool. Serve with latik on top.

Turon

A delish snack: Turon. Photos by SDeluz

Turon (Spanish: turrón), also known as Banana Lumpia, is a Philippine snack made of thinly sliced bananas (preferably Saba or Cardaba bananas) and a slice of jackfruit, dusted with brown sugar, rolled in spring roll wrapper and fried. Other fillings can also be used, including sweet potato, mango, cheddar cheese and coconut.

In the city of Malabon, "turron" refers to a fried lumpia-wrapper-enveloped dessert which has a sweet mung bean filling, while "valencia" refers to the banana version normally associated with the term turron.

Turon is a popular street food among Filipinos. They can be usually seen on the streets along with banana cue,[2] camote cue, andmaruya being peddled by vendors.

A nice addition to any potluck event. I normally use the normal ripe long banana found in the grocery. Its sweeter and accessible.

Ingredients:

ripe banana (or saba)

brown sugar

lumpia wrappings

oil

jackfruit slices (optional)

Procedure:

1. Cut the banana in half.

2. Put the brown sugar in a bowl big enough for the banana to roll unto. Roll the banana making sure coated with brown sugar.

3. Place on the edge of the lumpia wrapper. You can add a slice of jackfruit before rolling. Roll parallel to the banana once before folding both sides going in. Continue rolling. Ready all in a platter.

4. Heat up a pan making sure that the oil is really hot before frying in the turon:

5. You can sprinkle more brown sugar on top of the turon while frying. This gives a nice glaze on the turon.

6. Drain in a plate collander. 

7. Can be served hot or cold or even with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

Halo-halo

Halo-halo by dbgg1979

Finally! The sun is shining and we could walk without our bulky jackets. From 5 deg C to 26 deg C. Not bad! So time to visit my nearest Asian Store and stock with my halo-halo ingredients. Yap, I just buy them in the bottle. Much faster and easier to store. I make my own leche flan though. Then of course, off to the grocery to buy my favorite ice cream flavors plus fresh milk. I don't use ice shavings for my halo-halo. Instead, I freeze fresh milk in a tupperware. When ready to use, I only pop it in the mircowave to defrost a little, then use instead pure fresh milk as shavings for my halo-halo. No need to add sugar for the syrup on the bottled halo-halo ingredients is enough.

Halo-halo (from Tagalog word halò, "mix") is a popular Filipino dessert that is a mixture of shaved ice and evaporated milk to which are added various boiled sweet beans and fruits, and served in a tall glass or bowl.

Halo halo ingredients. Photo by SDeluz

Ingredients include boiled kidney beans, garbanzos, sugar palm fruit (kaong), coconut sport (macapuno), and plantains caramelized in sugar, jackfruit (langkâ), gulaman, tapioca or sago, nata de coco, sweet potato (kamote), pounded crushed young rice (pinipig). In terms of arrangement, most of the ingredients (fruits, beans, and other sweets) are first placed inside the tall glass, followed by the shaved ice. This is then sprinkled with sugar, and topped with either (or a combination of) leche flan, ube halaya, or ice cream. Evaporated milk is poured into the mixture upon serving.

Ingredients:

halo- halo mix in a bottle

kaong

nata de coco

ube

langka

leche flan

frozen fresh milk (as shavings)

ice cream of choice

Procedure:

1. Prepare all ingredients. The Halo-halo mix-in-a-bottle can be poured in a bowl so as to get all the ingredients mixed.  

2. Scoop 2 tsp of each ingredient into your desired size of bowl.

3. Put in the frozen milk shavings. You can add fresh milk if its too dry for you.

4. Put a scoop of ice cream on top together with a slice of leche flan and ube.

Tip: You can also add nuts, cereals, or pinipig for a much healthier option.

Enjoy! For my recipe on leche flan, click on this.

Lemon Meringue Pie

http://www.flickr.com/photos/

Fresh lemon juice and lemon rind make this pie's filling tart and lovely. And when it's poured into a waiting crust, topped with billows of meringue, and baked, it's downright dreamy.

Ingredients:

1 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups water

2 lemons, juiced and zested

2 tablespoons butter

4 egg yolks, beaten

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked

4 egg whites

6 tablespoons white sugar

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. To Make Lemon Filling: 

• In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. 
• Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. 
• Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. 
• Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. 
• Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. 
• Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.

3. To Make Meringue: 

• In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. 
• Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. 
• Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.

For Crust: Look up our recipe of Pie Crust

Decorator Icing

Image by crazybarefootpoet via Flickr

If there's no whipped cream available, this is a good substitute for buttercream icing.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup butter, softened
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon almond flavoring
4 drops red food coloring (optional)

Procedure:

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, confectioners' sugar, and milk until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and food coloring. Spread on or between cookies.

Have fun decorating!

Palitaw

Photos by SDeluz

Palitaw is a small, flat, sweet rice cake eaten in the Philippines. They are made from malagkit (sticky rice) washed, soaked, and then ground. Scoops of the batter are dropped into boiling water where they float to the surface as flat discs - an indication that they're done. When served, the flat discs are dipped in grated coconut, and presented with a separate dip made of sugar and toasted sesame seeds.

Ingredients:

1 cup glutinous rice flour

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp sesame seeds

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup grated coconut

chopped roasted nuts (optional)

Procedure:

1. Mix glutinous rice flour and water in a bowl and form a soft dough. Set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

3. Take a portion of the soft dough and roll it into a ball between the palms of your hands. Pull lengthwise and shape into a tongue. Drop into the boiling water. 

4. The cake is ready when it floats. Scoop it out with a strainer and roll it in the sugar and sesame seed mixture. Place it on a serving platter. Repeat with the rest of the dough. 

5. In a separate dry bowl, mix sesame seeds, sugar, nuts, grated coconut together. This will be the toppings.

6. Top the cakes with the toppings or roll them in and serve warm.

This is normally made during new year festivities in Philippines. The stickiness of the dough denotes good luck for the coming whole year. I love making this once in a while. The mixed toppings can be refrigerated for a month. 

Whipped Frosting

http://www.flickr.com/photos/

This is such a quick and easy recipe. Frostings that are made from scratch are often too stiff, not to mention practically all butter. If you hate canned frostings because they taste so artificial, then this is awesome way to try learning your own frosting. Super light, tasty and much better for you! A wonderful alternative for those who don't have a standing mixer to make butter creams, and awesome for the health conscious too. Plus, theres always enough for filling and coverage for a whole cake. 

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 

1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix 

1/2 cup evaporated milk 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Procedure: 

1. In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix with milk and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Gently fold in whipped topping until no streaks remain. Spread evenly over cake. 

Tip: After you frost the cake, if you refrigerate it for an hour or so, it helps the frosting set up a little thicker. You can also add food coloring if you want to make it a color other than white.

Champorado

Tsampurado / Champorado (Spanish: champurrado) is a sweet chocolate rice porridge in Philippine cuisine. It is traditionally made by boiling sticky rice with cocoa powder, giving it a distinctly brown color and usually with milk and sugar to make it taste sweeter. However, dry champurado mixes are prepared by just adding boiling water. It can be served hot or cold and with milk and sugar to taste. It is served usually at breakfast and sometimes together with salty dried fish locally known as tuyo.

The pudding becomes very thick and the lighter milk helps to "loosen" it. It's almost like eating "chocolate oatmeal". It can be eaten as a snack or dessert as well.

I specifically know this recipe being served by my mom during rainy season. A warm treat for a cold wet weather.

Photos by SDeluz

Ingredients:

1 cup glutinous rice

6 cups water

1/4 cup cacao

1/2 cup sugar

evaporated milk 

Procedure:

1. Clean glutinous rice. Boil rice with 3 cups water. Occasionally stir to prevent rice from sticking in the pan.

2. Add 1/2 cup water at a time until rice is done. Rice is done when it is transparent. 

3. Add cacao and sugar last.

4. Serve warm with evaporated milk. 

Ginataang Mais

Of all the ginataan meryenda recipes that I love, this is simply my favorite. The simplicity of the ingredients plus the salty sweetness of corn gives this a five star from my list of desserts. My sister-in.law adds slices of jackfruit to give it a much nicer aroma. I myself adds small tapioca pearls.

                        My favorite ginataang mais. (Photos by SDeluz)


Ingredients:
4 cups coconut milk (or 2 cans of 400 ml each)
1 can cream style corn
pinch of salt
1/2 cup glutinous rice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
optional: slices if jackfruit and 1/2 cup tapioca pearls


Procedure:


1. Boil coconut milk and washed glutinous rice (+ tapioca pearls) for 15 minutes until rice is cook.


2. Add corn and salt. Simmer for 5 minutes.


3. Put in sugar (+jackfruit) and mix until incorporated. Cook for two more minutes.


4. Serve and enjoy!


See, that easy! I love easy home cooked meals. Now share me your favorite desserts.

Leche Flan

In the Philippines, flan is known as Leche Flan — literally milk flan — a heavier version of the Spanish flan made with condensed milk and more egg yolks. Leche Flan is usually steamed over an open flame or stove top, although rarely it can also be seen baked. Leche Flan is a staple in celebratory feasts.

In other counties, it is called Crème caramel (kʁɛm kɑʀɑ'mel), flan (flɑn), or caramel custard. This is a custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top, as opposed to crème brûlée, which is custard with a hard caramel top. The dish is eaten throughout the world.

I've been missing this sweet dessert for some time now. I tried making one but ended up having a pudding. Good thing a friend from Italy visited me and showed me the ropes. We don't have gas stove here in Germany so home made caramel syrup is not feasible. Traditionally, we put sugar in llanera and heat it on the gas stove until thick syrup forms.   Good thing there's caramel syrup in bottles in the grocery which makes for a great substitute.

Photos by SDeluz

Ingredients:

5 egg yolks

1 whole egg

1 can condensed milk

1 can evaporated milk

lemon rind or 1/4 tsp vanilla flavoring

Procedure:

1. Prepare caramel syrup (arnibal) and put in pudding cup (llanera).

2. Prepare the steamer til water boils.

3. In a bowl, gently mix condensed milk and evaporated milk. Make a forward backward motion to prevent bubbles.

4. Strain the eggs in the mixture.

5. Strain 3x making sure to clean the strainer in between use.

6. Again, try mixing with forward backward motion to prevent bubbles.

7. Pour on pudding cup (llanera) and cover with foil.

8. Steam for 40 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Tip: Once on the steamer, lower the heat so as water is NOT briskly boiling. Water should only be in the brink of a boil.

Thank you Lui Lakbayera for the visit and the recipe!

Pastillas De Leche

     Filipinos are traditionally sweet-toothed. Go to any tourist spot and one delicacy being offered is a concoction of pastillas de leche in different flavors. Pastilles or pastillas are a type of candy or medicinal pill made of a thick liquid that has been solidified and is meant to be consumed by light chewing and allowing it to dissolve in the mouth. Leche is spanish word for "milk". So pastillas de leche literally means chewable candy made from milk.

     For all of us OFW's who misses this special treat, here is the basic recipe for pastillas de leche. Just add any flavorings of choice to make your own desired version (like coffee, chocolate powder, powdered  nuts. etc.).

Photos by SDeluz

Ingredients:

2 cups powdered milk

1 can condensed milk (200 ml)

white sugar (for rolling)

cellophane 

Procedure:

1. Mix powdered milk and condensed milk. 

2. Knead. Roll then shape and cut to your desired length.

3. Roll on refined sugar and wrap in colored cellophane.

     This is a nice treat for special occasions. Enjoy!