Ube Brownies

Pronounced OO-beh, these fudgy Ube brownies will satisfy your sweet cravings. Prepared completely from scratch, and with rich flavor and a crusty top, this recipe will soon become your favorite!

Brownies are one of the most popular snacks and dessert options around. What has made it more popular and interesting are modifications and variations to its preparation. 

An example is the matcha brownies that we discussed here. However, in this article, we will discuss another variety of brownies, known as Ube Brownies.

As the name implies, this snack is made with Ube which is a type of yam or potato common in the Philippines and New Guinea. 

This ingredient is very popular because of its unique taste and color. It has a distinct purple color and the taste is quite pleasing and unique that it is difficult to find a suitable comparison for it.

Made into brownies, the Ube brownies give you the fudgy and chewy feeling that you enjoy with all brownies, but this time, you get to savor the unique flavor of the Ube halaya and the sweetness of white chocolate.

Ube brownie is a favorite because of many of its features. First off, it is very easy to make. You don’t need special appliances or utensils to make this dessert, all the mixing is done with your hands. 

What’s more, it is easy to store and does well with freezing and refrigerating, and its purple color makes it an ideal food present that you can give out.

History of Ube Brownies

While there is no verifiable history about Ube brownies, brownies as a class of desserts have a rich history that should be looked into. 

The world has a certain Bertha Palmer to thank for the existence of brownies. Her husband owned the Palmer House Hotel and was going to host the Chicago World Columbian Exposition in 1893.

She asked one of the chefs working in the hotel for a dessert that is appropriate for the ladies attending the event.

What came out of that request is what we know today as brownies, although it was graced with apricot glaze and walnuts.   

At the time that Bertha Palmer requested it, it was not known as a “brownie”. The word “brownie” was first used in 1896 in the Boston Cooking-Book Cook Book made by Fannie Farmer. 

But it wasn’t until 1899 that the first known recipe for brownies was made public in the Machias Cookbook.

From that point on, brownies become a popular snack or dessert in the US, and from there, their popularity spread to other parts of the world.

Key & Optional Ingredients To Use

Organic Purple Sweet Potato Powder: This ingredient is rich in Vitamins, Minerals, Amino Acids, Dietary Fiber and Anthocyanin. 

Dietary Fiber improve Gastrointestinal Health. It’s also great for purple color for baking, smoothie, drinks, and food coloring. You may also combine it with the Ube Extract to enhance the flavor.

Ube Halaya: Another optional ingredient used in making Ube brownies is the Ube halaya, also known as the Ube jam. 

This ingredient is responsible for the bulk of the Ube flavor enjoyed in the snack, so you must include it. You can either decide to make it yourself or get one from the store near you.

Ube Extract (Optional): This ingredient is as important as the Ube halaya or the purple potato powder.

It is responsible for the purple color that you see in the Ube brownies. It is not a substitute for Ube halaya, and neither is the Ube jam a substitute for it. 

If you are not using either the Ube extract or the Potato powder in the brownies, the Ube flavor will be reduced, and the brownie may not turn purple when you are done.

White Chocolate: As much as white chocolate is the traditional chocolate type used for making brownies, it works in this case because it allows the purple color of the Ube to show in the brownies.

You can use the conventional dark chocolate, but you won’t get the purple color and the brownie will not be as sweet as when you use dark chocolate.  

We do recommend you use a good quality chocolate. 

Flour: This is one of the important components of a baked snack, as it forms the soiled core of the brownie. All-purpose flour is a perfect type of flour to use for this rich and fudgy brownie. 

Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter is also better for baking as you can never tell the amount of salt present in the butter. 

But with unsalted butter, you get to add only salt to the snack, thereby making it easier to determine the total amount of salt present in the snack.

Sugar: You should use granulated white sugar if you don’t want to tamper with the color of the brownie. If you use brown sugar instead, you might affect the color of the brownie.  

Tips for Making These Fudge Purple Brownies

• Use a light colored pan when browning the butter as it helps you see the change in color easily
• You don’t need to use any leavening agent as long as you beat the egg and sugar very well. 
• Beating the eggs and sugar until they are thick and creamy helps to get air into the brownies, which gives them the same lift that baking soda and baking powder do.

• Smacking the brownies on the counter helps to get air bubbles out of the snack and evens out the shape of the snack.
• If you are using the Ube Halaya, you may need to heat it before using it as it helps with its incorporation into the mixture. This tip is important for people getting their Ube halaya from the store. They come in jars and are usually very stiff. 

Reducing The Sugar In The Brownies

Many people fear the amount of sugar usually present in Ube brownies, especially seeing as you have to use sugar and white chocolate when making the brownies. 

The solution would have been to reduce the amount of sugar in the brownies. However, the sugar content affects the texture of the brownies. 

If you fail to add enough sugar, the brownie goes from chewy and fudgy to cakey. Thus, the best solution is to use dark chocolate instead of white chocolate. 

That means that you have to sacrifice the purple color of the brownies to avoid eating too much sugar.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Storing Your Brownies

Your Ube brownies can stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature and can also stay fresh for a week if kept in a fridge in an air-tight container. 

They can also spend up to three months in a deep freezer. 

As with the fridge option, you need to keep the snack in an air-tight container.

More Dessert Recipes To Enjoy

If you love these brownies, we recommend you try one of these recipes next. 

Matcha Brownies

CLASSIC TIRAMISU CUPS

SAVOIARDI LADY FINGERS

FRENCH LEMON LOAF CAKE

EASY FRENCH MOUSSE AU CHOCOLAT

AIR FRYER S’MORES

HAITIAN BEIGNETS 

CHOCOLATE TART

PISTACHIO COOKIES

CHOCOLATE CHIA SEED PUDDING

PLANTAIN BREAD

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