Halo-halo
It's the most festive iced dessert in the Philippines: a joyful mix of crushed ice, colourful toppings and, often, ube. Here's everything about halo-halo, its components and the art of assembling it.
What is halo-halo?
In Tagalog, halo-halo means mix-mix, and that's exactly what it is: a dessert served in a tall glass, where you pile up crushed ice, milk, various toppings and, as a crown, a scoop of ube ice cream. You mix it all with a spoon before enjoying. Every bite is different.
Halo-halo is enjoyed especially in hot weather. It's the refreshing dessert of Filipino summers, colourful and generous.
The components
There's no single halo-halo recipe, but a base and endless variations. You often find:
- Crushed ice and milk (condensed or evaporated), which form the cool heart of the dessert.
- The toppings: sweet beans, jellies, fruit, sago pearls, flan.
- Ube: as purple ice cream placed on top, or ube halaya slipped inside.
Ube ice cream and ube halaya are the two simplest ways to bring the purple, fragrant note to your halo-halo.
The art of assembling
Halo-halo is built in layers, in a tall glass: first the toppings at the bottom, then crushed ice, milk, and finally ube ice cream as a crown. The pleasure lies as much in the visual, colourful and layered, as in the act of mixing it all before the first spoonful.
There's no strict rule: halo-halo is a dessert of sharing and improvisation. You add what you love, keeping ube as the signature.
A festive dessert
Halo-halo is inseparable from Filipino conviviality: it's shared as a family, served during heat waves, found in carinderias as well as big chains. Its ube version is one of the most loved, for its colour and sweetness.
- Halo-halo is a festive iced dessert, served in a glass.
- It mixes crushed ice, milk, toppings and ube ice cream.
- You assemble it in layers, then mix before enjoying.
- It's the dessert of summers and shared moments.
See everything about ube halaya, all Filipino desserts, or ube in Filipino culture.
The ube for your halo-halo, at home.
With our 100% Kinampay ube powder, make a homemade ube ice cream or jam to crown your halo-halo. The colour and taste, authentic.
Your questions: halo-halo.
What is halo-halo?
A Filipino iced dessert served in a glass, a mix of crushed ice, milk, colourful toppings and often ube ice cream, mixed before enjoying.
What does halo-halo mean?
In Tagalog, halo-halo means mix-mix. The name comes from the act of mixing it all in the glass before the first spoonful.
What is the role of ube in halo-halo?
Ube brings its purple colour and vanilla taste, often as ice cream placed on top or ube halaya slipped into the glass.
When is halo-halo enjoyed?
Especially in hot weather. It's the refreshing dessert of Filipino summers, shared as a family and served everywhere.
Can you make a homemade ube halo-halo?
Yes. All you need is a base of crushed ice, toppings of your choice and a touch of ube, ice cream or jam, made with ube powder.