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Hot Ube Latte (Caffeine-Free)
Every ube drink on the site so far has been iced, so this one is for chilly mornings. Pure ube powder gives a hot latte the same soft violet color and nutty, vanilla-like flavor you get in a café, and you don't need an espresso machine. The trick is to whisk the powder into a smooth paste with a little hot water before the milk goes in, so the latte comes out silky instead of gritty. A spoonful of honey, a pinch of cinnamon, and a few drops of ube extract round out the flavor, and frothing the milk gives you enough foam to try a little latte art. Without coffee it's a caffeine-free evening drink; add a shot of espresso and it's a dirty ube latte for the morning commute.
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Ingredients
- 4 tsp Ube Powder, Pure, unsweetened powder, sifted if lumpy
- 0.25 cup Hot Water, Just off the boil
- 2 cups Whole Milk, Or oat milk (barista style froths best)
- 2 tbsp Honey, Or brown sugar or maple syrup, to taste
- 0.25 tsp Ube Extract, Optional, for a stronger ube aroma
- 0.5 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 0.25 tsp Ground Cinnamon, Plus more for dusting
- 1 pinch Fine Sea Salt
- 2 shots Espresso, Optional, for a dirty ube latte
Instructions
- Make the Ube Paste Divide the ube powder between two mugs, or put it all in a small bowl. Add the hot water a tablespoon at a time and whisk with a small whisk or a milk frother until you have a completely smooth, lump-free purple paste. Whisk in the honey, ube extract, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.
- Heat the Milk Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, until it steams and small bubbles form around the edge, about 150°F (65°C). Don't let it boil, or it won't foam well and can taste scorched.
- Froth Froth the hot milk with a handheld frother, a French press (pump the plunger 15-20 times), or by shaking it in a tightly sealed jar wrapped in a towel, until it's glossy and roughly doubled in volume. Tap the container on the counter to pop any big bubbles.
- Combine If you're using espresso, pull the shots and stir one into each mug of ube paste. Pour a little of the steamed milk into each mug and stir to loosen the paste, then pour in the rest, holding back the foam with a spoon.
- Top and Serve Spoon the foam over the top, or pour it in from close to the surface for a simple heart. Dust with a pinch of cinnamon and serve right away while it's hot. Stir before sipping, since a little powder can settle at the bottom.
Pro Tips
- Always make the paste first. Ube powder is starchy, and if you dump it straight into hot milk it clumps into little purple lumps that never fully dissolve. A tiny whisk or a battery-powered frother makes the paste smooth in seconds.
- Taste the paste before adding the milk. Pure ube powder is unsweetened, and powders vary in strength, so adjust the honey and add up to another teaspoon of powder now if you want a deeper color.
- Whole milk and barista-style oat milk give the thickest, most stable foam. Skim milk foams up big but collapses quickly, and almond milk tends to taste thin next to the ube.
Variations
- Dirty Ube Latte: Add a double shot of espresso to each mug. The roasted coffee and nutty ube pair especially well, and the drink turns a deeper mauve.
- Iced Ube Latte: Make the paste, stir in cold milk instead of hot, and pour over ice. Shake it in a jar first if you want a little foam on top.
- Coconut Ube Latte: Replace half the milk with canned light coconut milk and sweeten with brown sugar instead of honey for a richer, Filipino-dessert flavor.
Nutrition (estimated, per serving)
235 calories · 34g carbs · 8g protein · 8g fat · 30g sugar · 1g fiber
Frequently Asked Questions
Does an ube latte have caffeine?
Not unless you add coffee or tea. Ube is a purple yam, so a plain ube latte made with powder and milk is naturally caffeine-free, which makes it a nice evening drink. Add espresso if you want the caffeine.
Can I use ube halaya instead of ube powder?
Yes. Use about 2 tablespoons of ube halaya per mug and blend or whisk it with the hot milk until smooth. Halaya is already sweetened, so cut the honey back or leave it out, and expect a slightly thicker, more dessert-like drink.
Why is my ube latte gritty?
Usually the powder wasn't fully dissolved. Sift it first if it's clumpy, whisk it into a smooth paste with hot water before adding milk, and stir again before drinking. A little sediment at the bottom of the mug is normal with pure ube powder, since it's real dried yam rather than a soluble flavoring.
Recommended Ingredient
UbePure Ube Powder for Lattes & Baking, 100 g — read our review.