This halo-halo recipe features a refreshing mix of shaved ice, sweet fruits, creamy leche flan, and rich ube ice cream. Try the fun “ice cream lift” trick for a playful twist, or simply layer the ingredients over the ice. Mix it all together for a deliciously cool treat – perfect for beating the heat!
What’s halo halo?
Halo-halo is a popular Filipino dessert made with shaved ice, evaporated milk, and a variety of sweet ingredients like fruits, jellies, beans, and leche flan, often topped with ube ice cream.
The name “halo-halo” means “mix-mix” in Filipino, reflecting how the dessert is meant to be mixed together before eating. It’s a refreshing and colorful treat, perfect for hot weather, and loved for its combination of different textures and flavors.
Tips for making halo halo
Halo-halo is one of the simplest desserts to make at home. It doesn’t require any baking, cooking skills, or special tools – you can achieve an authentic halo-halo just by mixing all the ingredients in a large bowl. However, there are a few easy tips that can make the process even smoother and more enjoyable!
1. Use finely shaved ice: The finer the ice, the smoother and more enjoyable the texture. If you don’t have a shaved ice machine, crushed ice can work as an alternative.
Here are a few ways to crush ice at home:
- 1. Use a blender or food processor. Be sure to use a blender with strong blades, as some may not handle ice well.
- 2. Use a manual ice crusher, which is specifically designed for crushing ice. Simply place the ice cubes in the crusher and turn the handle.
- 3. Rolling pin method. Place ice cubes in a sealed, sturdy plastic bag (like a freezer bag). Lay the bag on a flat surface, like a wooden cutting board, and use a rolling pin or a meat tenderizer to smash the ice until it’s crushed.
Chill your ingredients: Pre-chill your ingredients like the fruits, jellies, and beans. This keeps the dessert colder for longer and enhances the refreshing experience.
Layer wisely: Place heavier ingredients (like beans and jellies) at the bottom and lighter ingredients (like fruits and flan) at the top. This helps with the mix and presentation.
Prepping Ingredients Efficiently: Cut larger ingredients like jackfruit and bananas into smaller strips, and break up the pandan jelly and leche flan into small cubes with a spoon or knife before adding them to the cup. This ensures the ingredients flow out smoothly without getting stuck, and helps you enjoy a balanced mix of flavors and textures in every bite.
Go easy on the syrup: If using sweetened ingredients, be mindful of the syrup. Draining excess syrup can prevent the dessert from becoming too sweet or watery.
Experiment with flavors: Classic halo-halo uses ingredients like ube ice cream, leche flan, and macapuno, but you don’t need to add them all at once. Feel free to customize! Add different fruits, jelly flavors, or even popping boba for a fun twist.
Serve immediately: Halo-halo is best enjoyed as soon as it’s made. Prepare all your ingredients in advance so you can assemble and serve quickly to keep the ice from melting too soon. To extend the ice’s lifespan, chill the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes before adding the ice.
Don’t forget the mix: The key to halo-halo is mixing everything together to combine the flavors and textures. Encourage your guests to stir it up before digging in!
Put enough ice: You can skip any ingredients if you don’t like it, except the crushed ice. We use a lot of ice in halo-halo because it’s the base of the dessert, providing a refreshing and cooling element. The shaved ice helps balance the sweetness of the ingredients and adds a light, icy texture. The abundance of ice also keeps the dessert cold for longer, making it more enjoyable and refreshing.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 cups shaved ice (or crushed ice)
- ¼ cup pandan jelly (cubed)
- ¼ cup strawberry popping boba (optional)
- ¼ cup canned jackfruit in syrup (sliced)
- ¼ cup young coconut stripped in syrup (or Nata de coco)
- ¼ cup canned sweetened bananas (sliced)
- ¼ cup sweetened red mung beans
- ½ cup leche flan
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ¼ cup ube ice cream (or any other flavor you prefer)
- 1 tbsp rice puffs (or toasted young rice, for crunch)
How to make pandan jelly easily:
Instructions
1. Shave or crush ice and place it in a large bowl.
2. If you want to try the ice cream lifting trick I demonstrated in the video, put a large piece of ice cream in the center of the ice. Then, take a disposable plastic cup and cut off the bottom. Insert the bottom edge of the cup into the top of the ice cream to prevent any liquid from leaking later. (Skipping the ice cream and inserting the cup directly into the shaved ice will cause the liquid in the cup to seep into the ice, making it melt faster and preventing a smooth lift.) This step is optional, so feel free to simply arrange the halo-halo ingredients directly on the ice if you prefer.
3. In the plastic cup you inserted, begin layering the ingredients in your preferred order. Alternatively, you can simply scatter all the ingredients over the ice, as everything will be mixed together soon anyway.
4. Lift the plastic cup to let all the ingredients ooze out, savoring the moment. Mix everything together to fully enjoy the flavors of your halo-halo, and dig in quickly before the ice melts!
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Halo Halo
Equipment
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 4 cups shaved ice (or crushed ice)
- ¼ cup pandan jelly (cubed)
- ¼ cup strawberry popping boba (optional)
- ¼ cup canned jackfruit (sliced)
- ¼ cup young coconut stripped in syrup (or Nata de coco)
- ¼ cup sweetened bananas (sliced)
- ¼ cup sweetened red mung beans
- ½ cup leche flan
- ½ cup evaporated milk
- ¼ cup ube ice cream (or any other flavor you prefer)
- 1 tbsp rice puffs (or toasted young rice, for crunch)
Instructions
- Shave or crush ice and place it in a large bowl.
- If you want to try the ice cream lifting trick I demonstrated in the video, put a large piece of ice cream in the center of the ice. Then, take a disposable plastic cup and cut off the bottom. Insert the bottom edge of the cup into the top of the ice cream to prevent any liquid from leaking later. (Skipping the ice cream and inserting the cup directly into the shaved ice will cause the liquid in the cup to seep into the ice, making it melt faster and preventing a smooth lift.) This step is optional, so feel free to simply arrange the halo-halo ingredients directly on the ice if you prefer.
- In the plastic cup you inserted, begin layering the ingredients in your preferred order. Alternatively, you can simply scatter all the ingredients over the ice, as everything will be mixed together soon anyway.
- Lift the plastic cup to let all the ingredients ooze out, savoring the moment. Mix everything together to fully enjoy the flavors of your halo-halo, and dig in quickly before the ice melts!
Video
this food is very delicious thank you for making this delicious recipe