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Halo-Halo

Prep 20 min
Servings 4
Difficulty Easy
Recipe by Chef Mila |

Halo-Halo

The Ultimate Filipino Shaved Ice Dessert

Prep Time 20 min
Assembly 5 min
Servings 4
Difficulty Easy
Halo

About This Recipe

Halo-Halo literally means "mix-mix" in Tagalog, and that's exactly what you do with this colorful, refreshing Filipino dessert. Layers of sweetened beans, tropical fruits, jellies, and other sweet treats are topped with shaved ice, drizzled with evaporated milk, and crowned with leche flan and ube ice cream. It's the ultimate summer cooldown and a must-try Filipino treat.

Every halo-halo vendor has their own combination of ingredients, but the core elements remain the same: sweet red beans, sweet white beans, nata de coco, kaong (palm fruit), macapuno (coconut sport), leche flan, and ube ice cream. The magic happens when you mix everything together and enjoy the symphony of flavors and textures.

Ingredients

Base Ingredients (per serving):

  • 2 tbsp sweetened red beans (red munggo)
  • 2 tbsp sweetened white beans
  • 2 tbsp macapuno (coconut sport) strips
  • 2 tbsp nata de coco (coconut gel)
  • 2 tbsp kaong (palm fruit)
  • 2 tbsp sweetened saba banana
  • 2 tbsp langka (jackfruit) strips
  • 1 tbsp pinipig (pounded rice flakes)

Toppings:

  • 1 cup finely shaved ice
  • 1/3 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 slice leche flan
  • 1 scoop ube ice cream
  • 1 tbsp ube halaya (optional)

Instructions

  1. 1

    Prepare the Glass

    Use a tall glass or parfait glass. This allows for beautiful layering and plenty of room for all the ingredients.

  2. 2

    Layer the Base

    Add sweetened beans, fruits, and jellies to the bottom of the glass. The order doesn't matter much since everything will be mixed together eventually.

  3. 3

    Add Shaved Ice

    Pack finely shaved ice on top, mounding it high above the rim of the glass. The finer the ice, the better it absorbs the milk and flavors.

  4. 4

    Pour the Milk

    Drizzle evaporated milk generously over the shaved ice. Watch it cascade down the ice mountain.

  5. 5

    Add Crowning Toppings

    Top with a slice of leche flan and a scoop of ube ice cream. Sprinkle with pinipig for crunch. Add a dollop of ube halaya if desired. Mix everything together before eating!

Tips & Variations

Fine Shaved Ice

The ice should be snow-like, not chunky. Use an ice shaver for best results, or blend ice in a high-powered blender.

Ice Cream Options

While ube is traditional, try mango, cheese, or vanilla ice cream for variety.

Mix Well!

The name means "mix-mix" for a reason! Stir everything together to enjoy all flavors in each bite.