My toxic trait is having to have at least one tasty caffeinated beverage every day. When I saw these gorgeous ube drinks at both Da Vien Coffee and Nep Cafe in the Little Saigon area, I knew I had to recreate this drink at home. This iced ube latte is perfect for those days when
My toxic trait is having to have at least one tasty caffeinated beverage every day. When I saw these gorgeous ube drinks at both Da Vien Coffee and Nep Cafe in the Little Saigon area, I knew I had to recreate this drink at home.
This iced ube latte is perfect for those days when you need a little pick-me-up treat to get you through the day. Want more tasty caffeinated treats, be sure to check out our Vietnamese coffee or Vietnamese egg coffee for more coffee inspiration! Or check out these great ube recipes: Ube Ice Cream or Ube Swirl Milk Bread.
What is Ube?
Ube is a purple yam that originates from the Philippines. It is different than the purple sweet potato in that it has a more mellow, slightly nutty, and vanilla taste. It is a very popular ingredient in most Filipino desserts where it is most often boiled, mashed, and then mixed with condensed milk.
Fresh ube may only be found at special Asian or Filipino grocery stores when it is in season. However, it can be easily found in an extract form, powdered form, or bottled form mixed with coconut milk and condensed milk (labeled as ube halaya or ube jam).
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”S13obWij” upload-date=”2023-04-07T16:24:42.000Z” name=”EASY Iced Ube Latte” description=”This sweet, creamy, and aesthetic iced ube latte recipe has a creamy ube foam poured on top of rich Vietnamese coffee for the ultimate cafe at home experience!” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]
Kitchen Equipment
You can make this beautiful ube drink with only a few items of kitchen equipment.
Hand-held milk frother: the easiest way to whip up the ube foam is with a handheld milk frother.
Vietnamese coffee phin filter: if you choose to make this ube recipe with Vietnamese coffee, you will need a 4 oz phin filter otherwise you’ll need an espresso machine or french press depending on your fresh coffee selection.
Ingredients
You can find all of the ingredients for this iced ube latte recipe at your local Asian grocery store or online!
Vietnamese coffee: for this ube coffee, I used Vietnamese coffee for a strong, rich, and deep flavor. Alternatively, a couple of shots of fresh espresso also work as a replacement. The key is a strong bold coffee base.
Condensed Milk:condensed milk adds a creamy texture and is the main sweetener for this ube latte recipe.
Milk: milk thins out the ube coffee and allows it to have a more rich and creamy texture.
Heavy Cream: heavy cream is necessary to create the ube foam layer that floats on top of Vietnamese coffee.
Coconut Milk: the flavor of the ube syrup pairs wonderfully with coconut milk and enhances the rich ube flavor. You can alternatively use your milk of choice instead but I prefer adding a hint of coconut to my ube drinks.
Sugar: a touch of sugar adds a hint of sweetness that balances out the flavor of the coconut milk.
Ube Extract: ube extract or ube syrup is a thick condensed form of ube where a little goes a long way! I recommend using the ube extract by Butterfly but McCormicks has it too.
Substitutions and Additions
You can customize this ube coffee by selecting your milk of choice and sweetener! I left some suggestions for you below.
Vietnamese coffee to milk ratio: if you are the type of person that likes more coffee than milk I recommend sticking to this recipe or even adding another 1/4 cup of Vietnamese coffee. Alternatively, if you prefer more milk to coffee then I recommend adding another 1/4 cup of milk for a more creamy experience.
Milk: you can choose a dairy free option like oat milk, coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, or lactose-free milk for a lactose-free alternative.
Sweetener: instead of condensed milk you can alternatively use vanilla syrup, honey, simple syrup, sugar, coconut sugar, or even maple syrup.
How to Make Ube Latte
This ube latte recipe is so easy and satisfying to make! Here are the instructions on how to make the best iced ube latte.
Make the iced coffee. In a serving glass, add Vietnamese coffee, condensed milk, and milk. Mix until combined. Optionally add ice to chill (will reduce coffee strength). If you prefer your coffee more creamy, add another 1/4 cup of milk.
Make ube cold foam. In a measuring cup with a spout, add the heavy cream, coconut milk, and ube extract. Froth the ube cold foam, with a hand-held milk frother until it reaches a softly whipped consistency.
Serve. Pour the ube cold foam over the iced coffee, mix, and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Ube Latte
Use cold heavy cream and coconut milk. The easiest and fastest way to whip heavy cream and coconut milk is to whisk it when it is cold.
A little ube goes a long way. You may not think 1/8 of a teaspoon of ube is enough to flavor the ube foam but trust me, a dash of the ube syrup extract goes a long way.
Adjust the ube coffee based on your preferences. If you prefer a more coffee-to-milk ratio, either keep the recipe as is or add another 1/4 cup of Vietnamese coffee to the ube latte. If you prefer more milk to coffee, then add another 1/4 cup of milk.
Storage Instructions
The ube cold foam and Vietnamese coffee can be stored separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This is perfect if you’d like to double or triple the iced ube latte recipe for easy assembly during the week.
To serve, you will need to use the handheld frother on the ube cream to make it airy and light.
Frequently Asked Q’s & A’s
What does ube taste like?
Ube is a type of purple yam that has a sweet, earthy, nutty vanilla-like flavor.
Where can I find ube extract?
You can find the ube syrup extract that I used on Amazon! I recommend using the butterfly ube extract for the best tasting results.
Can I use ube powder?
I do not recommend using ube powder. The ube powder has a mellower ube flavor and can get a bit clumpy when mixed in.
Can I make an ube latte with non-dairy milk?
Yes! You can alternatively use oat, soy, almond, or coconut milk instead. This drink can easily be made Vegan by swapping for dairy-free condensed milk and a heavy cream alternative.
Sweet, creamy and aesthetic ube latte needs to be added to your daily morning routine. This ube latte recipe is made with a beautiful soft ube coconut milk foam paired with a rich and indulgent Vietnamese coffee.
Make the iced coffee. In a serving glass, add Vietnamese coffee, condensed milk, and milk. If you prefer your coffee more creamy, add another 1/4 cup of milk. Mix until combined. Optionally add ice to chill (will reduce coffee strength).
Make ube cold foam. In a measuring cup with a spout, add the heavy cream, coconut milk, and ube extract. Froth the ube cold foam, with a handheld milk frother until it reaches a softly whipped consistency.
Serve. Pour the ube cold foam over the iced coffee, mix, and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Use cold heavy cream and coconut milk. The easiest and fastest way to whip heavy cream and coconut milk is to whisk it when it is cold.
A little ube goes a long way. You may not think 1/8 of a teaspoon of ube is enough to flavor but trust me, a dash of the ube syrup extract goes a long way.
Adjust the ube coffee based on your preferences. If you prefer a more coffee-to-milk ratio, either keep the recipe as is or add another 1/4 cup of Vietnamese coffee to the ube latte. If you prefer more milk to coffee, then add another 1/4 cup of milk.
Storage Instructions: The ube cold foam and Vietnamese coffee can be stored separately in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This is perfect if you’d like to double or triple the iced ube latte recipe for easy assembly during the week. To serve, you will need to use the handheld frother on the ube cream to make it airy and light.
Rate & Review What did you think of this recipe?