Ube Pie

Hi. Filipina homecook here. Pro tip: Stop buying Ube from TJ’s, Whole Foods, etc. The best (fresh) Ube is from Seafood City, 99 Ranch, or local Asian farmers markets.

This pie was amazing. Make sure you're using kosher, not table salt in the crust - I used the recommended amount and it was not too salty, as some other reviewers have mentioned. Also made the pie non-dairy by using Earth Balance in the crust and coconut cream in place of heavy cream in the filling. It worked out great!

I mostly followed the recipe, except thoroughly steamed and mashed purple yams (fresh from Trader Joe's! not the Japanese ones, either) to make the fill, skipped the flavoring, and used a store-bought crust. 2-3 potatoes made more or less 1 1/3 cups which was perfect for the 10" crust. The pie was deep purple like the picture and served with whipped cream. It was a big hit at Friendsgiving! (I also saw that Rainbow Co-Op in SF had the potatoes, I'm not sure if it's only seasonally.)

UPDATE: For those living in Queens, NY, like myself, just Google Filipino (or Philippines) Grocery and any of them will carry it. There are many to select from throughout borough. I'm in Astoria and got mine at Twin Filipino on 30th Avenue off 23rd Street. Much easier than trying to find on internet, or even finding fresh Ube. Very inexpensive for the 16 oz. frozen package, plus also got to grab a whole range of unique Filipino condiments and cooking ingredients. Worth the effort.

Do you have a Trader Joe's nearby? TJ has been carrying Japanese purple sweet potatoes fresh, alongside the other potato varieties, and while the color won't be quite so vibrant the flavor will be great.

I've made this Pie more than I can count. I've followed the instructions to a T and every time it has been a hit! The compliments I get most are from how amazing the crust is! Something I did without knowing is using The "Honey" Graham Cracker. I have never used just plain Graham cracker so not sure if that makes a difference with how the crust turns out. Also, I think it is important to use Kosher salt and not regular salt.

Make sure you're using kosher, not table salt in the crust. Can use purple yams or purple sweet potatos. Also can make the pie non-dairy by using Earth Balance in the crust and coconut cream in place of heavy cream in the filling.

This pie is delicious but the crust is way too salty (this coming from the salt queen herself). Next time I would half the salt and the sugar in the crust. Also, 30 minutes is probably sufficient as it appeared slightly underdone but it was overcooked at 35 minutes. Overall would make again with these adjustments!

Came out wonderfully! Carefully read the packaging for any shredded ube you pick up at the store as some of the brands come frozen and fully cooked, so you may not need to microwave to cook as instructed here. Top with some lightly toasted unsweetened coconut for a decorative finish.

The pie was absolutely phenomenal. Tasted amazing and a huge hit. However, the purple color seemed to cook out on top to a vaguely tinted light brown which was disappointing. The texture was also more cake-y than the picture looks. I'm not a talented baker, so if anyone has ideas for where I might have gone wrong, I am all ears. Would definitely make again for taste, but would love to know how to get the pretty visual as well.

I see people using fresh purple sweet potatoes and that's great. But, very often, these deserts are traditionally made with the artificial flavoring and colors of the frozen packaged stuff. I think both are good, but sometimes the authentic version is actually what we in the Us consider a processed food. It's worth noting that the authentic version is not always the healthiest but it has the true taste. You'd have to ask someone more knowledgeable in Filipino cooking.

Made this twice and for some reason my graham cracker crust never stayed together :(

I cut the sugar in half and used half orange sweet potato and half Japanese purple sweet potato. These are plenty sweet for a decent pie. We liked it!