Ube Linzer Cookies (Purple Yam)

When Trader Joe's brought a series of ube products to America's mainstream food scene in recent years, I couldn't have felt more pride for one of my most beloved foods. Ube becoming one of the hottest food trends on this western side of the globe is something I had never dreamed of while growing up, but I am certainly not surprised.

Ube -- Philippine purple yam -- is the quintessential dessert ingredient of my culture. Ube grows aboveground on vines, unlike sweet potatoes that grow underground, and is a variety of yam specifically indigenous to the Philippines.

Its flavor makes for a delectable base -- a bit like vanilla with delicately nutty and subtle floral notes. A lot of people say it reminds them somewhat of pistachios or coconuts or a mild white chocolate.

Apart from its exquisite flavor, of course ube's vibrant purple hue makes any dessert an instant delight to the eye.

Here, I would like to introduce you to ube (if you haven't yet been acquainted) as I bring an unconventional Filipino twist to the popular Austrian linzer cookie. Ube flavors these tender melt-in-your-mouth almond-based cookies, which are the perfect vehicle for homemade ube jam. Enjoy these deliciously unique and captivating Ube Linzer Cookies!

You can get your hands on ube at most large Asian supermarkets where frozen ube is typically sold. You might even get lucky and procure fresh ube, though it isn't as available as the frozen variety. If you are using fresh ube, you must boil it first before grating. Since I used frozen whole ube, I went straight to grating as it has sufficient moisture from being in a frozen state. If you can neither get fresh nor frozen ube, you may find bottled pre-made ube jam (also called ube halaya), though the bottled type is typically too sweet, dairy-free, and just doesn't hold a candle to decadently creamy homemade jam.

Apart from fresh or frozen ube, you will also need ube extract to flavor the linzer dough. This is found at Asian supermarkets or online.

THIS RECIPE YIELDS 1-1/2 dozen 2" cookies.

UBE JAM INGREDIENTS:

1/3 c condensed milk

1/4 c evaporated milk

2 tbsp butter

1/2 c grated ube

1 tsp ube extract

1/8 tsp salt

Squeeze of lemon wedge

UBE LINZER COOKIE DOUGH INGREDIENTS:

1/2 c (1 stick) butter, softened at room temperature

1/3 c icing sugar

1 large egg yolk

1 tsp ube extract

1 c all purpose flour

1/2 c almond flour

1/4 tsp salt

Extra icing sugar for dusting

SPECIAL SUPPLIES

2" cookie cutter

1" or small cookie cutter (for center hole)

To make decadently creamy ube jam, also called ube halaya, you will need to do a bit of stirring for about 20 minutes.

1. Combine condensed milk, evaporated milk, and butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir until butter is melted.

2. Lower heat to medium-low. Add grated ube.

3. Stir continuously until thickened, similar to a runny pudding.

4. Add ube extract, salt, and a squeeze of lemon.

5. Continue stirring until you reach the consistency of thick pudding.

6. Remove from heat and let cool at room temperature.

1. Using a paddle attachment, cream together butter and icing sugar.

2. Add egg yolk.

3. Continue to cream together until pale and fluffy.

4. Add ube extract.

5. Mix until throughly combined.

6. Add all purpose flour, almond flour, and salt. Mix just until combined. Do not overwork the flour to ensure a tender crumb.

1 Cut the dough in half. Place one half of the dough on parchment paper.

2 Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough.

3 Roll the dough to 1/8" thickness.

4 Repeat the process for the second half of the dough. You will now have 2 rolled sheets of dough, one for the bottom cookies and the other for the top cookies.

5 Stack rolled sheets of dough (do not remove from parchment) and place in freezer for 20 minutes.

1 Remove the first rolled dough from the freezer and keep the second in the freezer while working. Remove top layer of parchment paper. Cut shapes with 2" cookie cutter. Place cut cookies on a parchment-lined tray.

2 Remove the second rolled dough from the freezer. Remove top layer of parchment paper. Cut shapes with a 2" cookie cutter and also cut out the centers with 1" or smaller cookie cutter. Place cut cookies on parchment-lined tray.

3 Return the trays of cut cookies to the freezer while oven preheats to 325F.

4 Bake cookies at 325F for 15 minutes. Let cool on cooling rack.

5 While cookies are baking, repeat the process for the scraps.

1. Use small cut strips of paper to cover parts of the cookie tops as you desire.

2. Dust with icing sugar.

3. Remove paper to reveal pretty sugar dust patterns.

Time to fill with ube jam!

1. Spread ube jam on the underside of the bottom cookie layer, so that the smooth side is on the outside.

2. Find matching tops and make a cookie sandwich.

In Filipino, we say "Merienda na!", which means "Snack time!"

Enjoy your merienda with these Ube Linzer Cookies. You can store them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just let sit at room temperature before serving.