Halo-Halo Especial

Article by Richmond Flores and Alice K. Thompson

What Is Halo-Halo?

Halo-Halo is a popular Filipino dessert composed of layers of colorful sweet ingredients, shaved ice and creamy ice cream. The idea is to have a number of textures — icy, crunchy, chewy, bouncy and syrupy — and eye-catching colors together in a spoonable treat. Halo-halo in Tagalog translates to “mix-mix” since the frozen dessert is typically eaten by combining the elements as you go and mixing the flavors and textures. The dish is often served on special occasions or just as a cool treat on a hot day.

History of Halo-Halo

Inspiration for the dessert is credited to Japanese settlers who brought kakagori, a shaved-ice dish of evaporated milk and red beans in syrup, to the Philippines. These basic elements remain, but the spirited swapping in of local ingredients and favorite sweets — along with enthusiastic embellishment — have made halo-halo a Filipino original.

How to eat Halo-Halo

Halo-halo is built for beauty and wow and eaten by folding the ingredients together to make each bite a delight. The typical version layers ingredients into a tall glass somewhat like a parfait, ending with a generous layer of shaved ice that’s doused with syrups and evaporated or condensed milk and crowned with a scoop of ice cream, often brilliantly purple ube ice cream.

A long spoon is used to mix (“halo” in Tagalog) the elements and then to dig into the icy treat. But you can also use dessert bowls, most notably glass footed ones for a slightly upscale version that calls attention to the dessert’s eye-catching layers.

Why Is Our Version of Halo-Halo called “Especial”?

Halo-halo is enjoyed across the Philippines, served by street vendors as well as at upscale restaurants and mom-and-pop shops, but it’s also known as a treat to make at home, especially for fans of it living abroad. How many of the ingredients are made from scratch or bought from sources specializing in Filipino ingredients varies widely.

We call our Halo-Halo “Especial” (special) since we hope you’ll be tempted to make a few of the classic elements yourself. You can buy almost all of them but trying your hand at making some of the simpler ones will make it even more your own tasty, colorful creation.

Halo-Halo Ingredients

The elements of halo-halo vary depending on personal preference. Arranging the ingredients in individual bowls or parfait or tall glasses is a huge part of its appeal. While there are seemingly infinite combinations used in halo-halo, this version focuses on making a few homemade ingredients and then adding others, most of which can be picked up canned or jarred. Combine or exclude ingredients according to your taste. In this halo-halo especial recipe we include the following:

Condensed Milk Shaved Ice: We recommend a Hawaiian ice machine to make the all-important shaved ice, a refreshing treat made here with a mixture of condensed milk and water — a light, fluffy alternative to drizzling condensed milk over the plain shaved ice common for halo-halo. Don’t have an ice shaver? You can drop cubes through the feed tube of a food processor and process until mostly shaved, then carefully fish out any larger pieces that don’t crush and process those again; the result will be slightly uneven in texture but good in a pinch!

Ube Ice Cream: Ube (purple potato) is a favorite ice cream flavor in the Philippines and beyond, known for its intense violet color and nutty, earthy flavor. Our indulgent version is enhanced by the complementary flavors of vanilla and malted milk and gets richness from lots of egg yolks. It’s a great addition to this halo-halo and also totally delicious spooned up on its own.

Coconut Plantain Jam: This rich and creamy jam is a riff on coconut jam, a popular Filipino condiment, with the addition of sweet ripe plantains for flavor and texture. Coconut jam is often used as a mix-in ingredient for halo-halo to give the dessert a layer of caramel-like flavor. This plantain version of the jam is great in halo-halo but also a fabulous ice cream topping and spread for toast.

Jackfruit in Syrup: Jackfruit has a mild, floral flavor that’s often described as a cross between pineapple and banana. The fruit takes on a bright yellow color when blanched and stewed in an easy sugar syrup. Tropical jackfruit in sweet syrup is a classic halo-halo mix-in that’s also delicious enough to eat on its own. You can buy it canned or jarred in Asian grocery stores or online. It can also easily be made at home since it requires just two ingredients: sugar and fresh or frozen jackfruit. Recipe to try: Jackfruit in Syrup

Red Mung Beans in Syrup: Sweet red mung beans cooked in syrup are a simple Filippino treat that’s popular over ice cream or as a halo-halo mix-in. The beans are wonderfully sweet and earthy with a texture that’s both tender and slightly chewy. They can be purchased jarred or canned at Asian supermarkets or online, but they’re also easy to make. Recipe to try: Sweet Red Bean Topping

Macapuno (Coconut Sport): The popular mix-in macapuno (coconut sport) is a coconut variant that produces jelly-like flesh that’s much softer than a typical coconut’s hard, crunchy flesh. If you’re in the Philippines it’s possible to seek out one of these nuts (sometimes called “gelatinous mutant coconut,” believe it or not!) and husk, crack and clean it yourself, but almost everyone buys it already prepared, usually in strips (“strings”) jarred in heavy syrup. Macapuno can be bought in Asian grocery stores or online.

Leche Flan: This sweet and creamy Filipino dessert is a rich egg custard with a delicious layer of caramel on top. Although similar to other flans and the classic French crème caramel, it’s made with evaporated milk and condensed milk rather than cream or regular milk. It’s famous as a dessert on its own but bite-size pieces are a favorite halo-halo topping. Seek out leche flan at Filipino markets or bakeries or make it at home. Recipe to try: Leche Flan for Halo-Halo

Additional Common Halo-Halo Ingredients

Other popular halo-halo mix-ins and toppings include:

Kaong (Candied Palm Seeds): Chewy seeds from the attap palm that are dyed a variety of colors, including bright red or green.

Nata de Coco (Coconut Jellies): Sweetened coconut water that’s set with a gelling agent such as agar-agar or gelatin and often dyed in bright colors for a jewel-like look.

Minatamis na Garbanzos or Minatamis na Beans (Sweetened Chickpeas or White Beans): Chickpeas or white beans cooked in sugar syrup for a melt-in-your mouth texture.

Minatamis na Kamote (Sweet Potato Cubes): Diced sweet potato cooked in sugar syrup until velvety and tender. It’s eaten as a snack or dessert and also sometimes makes its way into halo-halo.

Minatamis na Saging (Saba Bananas in Syrup): Creamy saba bananas, a type of cooking banana, that’s usually preserved in sugar syrup.

Pinipig (Toasted Flattened Rice): A crisp, crunchy topping sometimes sprinkled on halo-halo that’s similar to Rice Krispies.

Sago (Tapioca Pearls): Chewy balls of tapioca starch, usually translucent although they can be dyed; they can be cooked from dried and soaked in syrup or found in jars.

Ube Halaya (Purple Potato Jam): Another way to bring vivid purple color to halo-halo if you’re not using ube ice cream.