Try this Ice Candy —a Filipino take on ice pops that's both delicious and refreshing! This recipe features the unique flavors of purple yams, blended with creamy condensed milk and evaporated milk for a truly irresistible treat!
Looking for more refreshing desserts? Try my Avocado Popsicles, Fruit Popsicles or Mango Ice Candy!
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History of Ice Candy
We don't have exact records of how ice candy started, but we think it came from a mix of different cultures, people trying new things with food, and having yummy ingredients to use. So, ice candy is a tasty result of people's creativity and the yummy things they could find to make it!
- Innovation and Adaptation: Ice candy as it is known today likely emerged as a localized adaptation of frozen treats in the Philippines. With the abundance of tropical fruits, dairy products, and sweeteners in the region, Filipinos creatively combined these ingredients to create their unique version of frozen delicacies.
- Popularity and Variations: Ice candy gained popularity across the Philippines as a simple and affordable frozen treat, particularly favored during hot summer months. Its versatility allowed for various flavor combinations, with popular options including fruit flavors, chocolate, coffee, and even local delicacies like ube (purple yam).
- Cultural Significance: Ice candy holds cultural significance in Filipino society, often enjoyed during family gatherings, celebrations, and street food festivals. It is not only a refreshing dessert but also a nostalgic symbol of childhood for many Filipinos.
- Modernization and Commercialization: While traditionally made at home or sold by street vendors, ice candy has also become commercialized, with pre-packaged versions available in supermarkets and convenience stores. However, homemade ice candy remains cherished for its authenticity and customization options.
Substitutions
- Purple Yams: If purple yams are not available, you can substitute them with other types of yams or sweet potatoes, such as orange sweet potatoes or white sweet potatoes. These alternatives will provide a similar starchy sweetness to your ice candy.
- Condensed Milk: For a dairy-free option, you can use coconut condensed milk or almond condensed milk. Alternatively, you can make your own condensed milk substitute using coconut milk and sweeteners like sugar or maple syrup.
- Evaporated Milk: To replace evaporated milk, you can use coconut milk or almond milk for a dairy-free version. You can also use soy milk or oat milk as alternatives.
- Sweeteners: Instead of using traditional sugar, you can sweeten your ice candy with honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, or stevia for a lower-calorie option.
Variations
- Add fresh fruits shredded young coconut to this recipe.
- Add-ins: Get creative with add-ins like chopped fruits, chocolate chips, nuts, or coconut flakes to customize your ice candy according to your preferences.
Top Tip
- After adding the cassava flour make sure to continually stir it. Leaving it untouched while the stove is on will create lumps and won't taste great.
Storage
- Can be stored for 2-3 months in a freezer safe container.
Ingredients
Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:
- ½ cup ube (purple yam), steamed
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup cassava flour
- ⅓ cup organic sugar
- ¾ cup condensed milk
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon ube flavoring
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the purple yams and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are soft and tender.
How to make Ube Ice Candy:
In a bowl, add ube and 1 cup water and mix until there are no lumps, set aside.
In another bowl, add 2 cups water and cassava flour and mix until well combined, set aside.
In a pot over medium heat, add 5 cups water and bring to a rolling boil. Add sugar and mix until sugar is dissolved.
Next add cassava mixture and stir continuously.
Add ube mixture, ube flavoring and stir until well combined. The mixture will turn purple.
Add condensed milk, evaporated milk and continue to mix until well combined.
Allow to cool for 30 mins and transfer in popsicle molds or ice candy plastic
If using ice candy bag:
You will need a funnel and a ladle.
Insert the tip of the funnel in the ice candy bag and ladle the mango mixture. Make sure to leave at least 2 inches for tying.
Twist the ice candy bag to seal the mixture and knot tightly.
Repeat until there is no ube mixture left.
If you don't have ice candy bags, but have popsicle molds:
- Evenly pour ube mixture into the popsicle molds.
If you don't have ice candy molds, you can always use popsicle molds:
Hint: Always leave enough space in the ice candy bag. You will find it difficult to tye the knot if you put too much of the ice candy mixture.
FAQ
More Filipino recipes you will enjoy:
Easy Ice Candy from Philippines
Ingredients
- ½ cup ube purple yam, steamed
- 8 cups water
- ½ cup cassava flour
- ⅓ cup organic sugar
- ¾ cup condensed milk
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 tablespoon ube flavoring
Instructions
How to boil ube (purple yam):
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the purple yams and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until they are soft and tender.
How to make Ube Ice Candy:
- In a bowl, add ube and 1 cup water and mix until there are no lumps, set aside.
- In another bowl, add 2 cups water and cassava flour and mix until well combined, set aside.
- In a pot over medium heat, add 5 cups water and bring to a rolling boil. Add sugar and mix until sugar is dissolved.
- Next add cassava mixture and stir continuously.
- Add ube mixture, ube flavoring and stir until well combined. The mixture will turn purple.
- Add condensed milk, evaporated milk and continue to mix until well combined.
- Allow to cool for 30 mins and transfer in popsicle molds or ice candy plastic
If using a popsicle mold:
- Evenly pour ube mixture into the popsicle molds.
If using ice candy bag:
- You will need a funnel and a ladle.
- Insert the tip of the funnel in the ice candy bag and ladle the mango mixture. Make sure to leave at least 2 inches for tying.
- Twist the ice candy bag to seal the mixture and knot tightly.
- Repeat until there is no ube mixture left.
Maivi Ann Vega says
Thank you very much! Very detailed instructions. Will try this soon.
Lainey says
You're welcome, Maivi! Thank you for visiting my blog. I appreciate it! I hope you'll love it!
Jane says
This is soooo good! You can really taste the yams!
Lainey says
Hello, Jane. It's good to know that you find this ice candy recipe delicious. Thank you so much! If you want to try more Filipino desserts, feel free to browse in this site. 🙂
saniye fulya mcgreevy says
human rights violation in ireland with proofs attached:both the governments of Ireland and Turkey. I want sue my country for it for torture me with ireland by putting me mental hospital all together. have proof for it..erdogan sacrifices me for his afghan friends by throwing me mental hospital..this incident started with afghans hacked my facebook..my husband attacking me then police was coming then I was calling Turkish embassy turkish embassy was saying I'm mental illness....both of them told me when I confronted with afghans I was dreaming..they doesn't accept my testimony..my husband told me later when the events unfolded irish police agreed with my husband for it to ignore my testimony..Erdogan wants to be the head of the Fethullah society and for this he sacrifices his citizens. For this he cooperates with the Fethullahists and the Irish are against me.By throwing me into a mental hospital and ignoring my testimony..I am still struggling here because the National Intelligence Organization is very successful.They collaborated with the Fethullah supporters in ireland and jointly they are throwing me into a mental hospital because the National Intelligence Organization is very successfu.I would be happy if you could save me.I trust you to help me save me and get rid of those who want me put in a mental hospital both irish government and Turkish government.. Erdogan wants to be the head of the Fethullah society and for this he sacrifices his citizens. For this he cooperates with the Fethullah supporters in ireland against me.By throwing me into a mental hospital and ignoring my testimony, he looks cute to his Fethullah friends.They close the case by throwing me in a mental hospital. So all together.S.O.S..They sent me an appointment at the mental hospital and the blood test and brain department results showed that I was paranoid.I would be happy if you could save me.I trust you to help me save me and get rid of those who want me put in a mental hospital both irish government and Turkish government ...I am a Turkish citizen living in Ireland because of our country's Fethullah problem,by mistake I came to Ireland but the police in Ireland are trying to take Erdoğan's revenge on me. Irish police are trying to send me to Turkey by applying pressure on me , but I am not a Muslim, I am a Christian, I do not want to return to Turkey. The reason I am in Ireland is because I am a Christian . When the Fethullah problem emerged in our country in 2013, the Afghans in Ireland who hacked my Facebook confronted me in O'Connell Street and I reported this to the police, but the police did not take any action. Instead, they said that I was mentally unstable because they were protecting the Afghans against me. to Ireland because we are politically opposed to and because both countries have the same perspective on Muslims the possibility of me being right is slim about this subject ...I got a similar reaction from Turkey, they agreed with the police and they said I was mentally unstable because both of them are friends with afghans too....Here the police are threatening to put me in a mental hospital.They haven't been giving me much peace since the problem in 2013, irish police they made all the threats they could against me.They even tried to use me for their own works.They are trying to take away my freedom by putting me in a mental hospital. To take revenge on Erdoğan, the police put me in a mental hospital for two weeks,They jointly threw me into a mental hospital with the Turkish embassy but my health deteriorated because of the drugs they gave me in the mental hospital. ..I am also tired of this Fethullah Erdoğan debate and I do not want to be the addressee of it.I'm tired of being a part of this Fethullah Erdoğan conflict.in ireland .They are also trying to suppress me because I am Turkish. I am neither a Fethullah supporter nor an Erdogan's supporter . I am an Ataturk supporter... THANKS... saniye fulya mcgreevy...10 whelan street monasterevin kildare ireland
Lainey says
I'm sorry to hear about the struggles you're facing. It sounds like a very complex and distressing situation. For concerns involving legal or human rights violations, I would recommend contacting an international human rights organization or seeking legal advice from an independent lawyer in Ireland. They may be able to guide you on how to address your concerns. Stay strong. God bless:)