I love going to bakeries, just like those bakeries on the streets. Because even though I can bake, they still have those products which are very comforting that we all love to repeatingly taste. And one of which is what we are going to do today. I really go back to buy these somewhere in the markets of Tagaytay because it is indeed very delicious. This is UBE BARS. And I know many of you thought, "How are these made?" That is also exactly what I thought the first time I tasted it, and I discovered just how simple it is. So first, let’s start with the baking pan. For the baking pan, I’m going to get a ruler just to make sure. So for the baking pan, you will be needing a rectangular pan. This is a 13x9 inch rectangular pan and if you don’t have one, you can just use 2 pieces of square pans. It's very basic, I am going to just spray it with non-stick baking spray or just wipe some shortening, oil, or butter. It’s just simple. So once this is ready, prepare your ingredients. It's very basic, I have here in my mixing bowl a 3/4 cup of salted butter at room temperature. It’s extremely important that you use butter in room temperature because it is spreadable. As you can see, it doesn’t melt. And it’s not oily, but it’s very soft. And then I have here 4 cups of La Filipina unchlorinated all-purpose flour. This is 1 cup of white sugar, and I’m going to pour this sugar here at our mixing bowl. This is 2 teaspoons of baking powder and this is 1 and 1/4 cups of fresh milk. "So chef, what if we don’t have all these fancy bakery ingredients like fresh milk or butter?" You can just use margarine or shortening, and instead of fresh milk, you can also use water. We just made it fancier here but of course, you can do it bakery style. And then you put the flour, it’s as simple as that. Just pour it all there and then use a mixer. What if you don't have one? You can just do it by hand. The butter might be sticky and stiff so just mix it like that, very simple, just at low speed. And then you can increase the speed until you can’t see the flour, it’s that simple If it's already smooth that means it’s done. It looks like pie dough or bread dough that is sticky. wait, I saw some laurel leaf...
It’s because I put laurel leaves in my flour to preserve it. Let’s pull this away before this Ube bars taste like adobo. Alright, that’s it!. So when you see that it's smooth and has no traces of flour... Let's remove more (laurel leaves). It has a lot of laurel or bayleaf... So if you see no traces of flour and the dough is smooth, then it's ready. Put it into your baking pan, I have here a... a round scraper, this is a round scraper. This is its texture, it’s like a smooth bread dough, pliable bread dough. Okay, so I’m going to use this one to flatten it but this time I will do this by hand. You just use your hand, your fingers, to even it out. It’s so easy, right? "How is it going to be Ube?" Later, just wait, Let’s bake this first. Don’t be too excited, we will get there, I'm sure you heard this already, we will get there, you will see the outcome. And then using this, you just press it like that. If you don’t have this you can just use a spatula like that, and just press it. I just enjoy using this because it's wider. Alright! You don’t have to make it perfectly even, don’t stress yourself. That's already okay as long as the thickness is even, you don’t really have to smoothen the top. So this will go into a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven, and you bake it for around 30-40 minutes or until the top is almost firm. Okay so let’s put it in the oven. After around 35 minutes, it's ready. you would know if it's ready there So you will know when it is ready when you touch the top and it's almost firm. When it's ready, just put it there to let it cool down completely, it's as simple as that. So while the bars, here is our bars, while we let this cool down, let’s prepare our toppings. I have here desiccated coconuts that I’m going to toast quickly I'm just gonna toast this real quick just until aromatic We don’t want it to turn... super brown, just until aromatic. You just want to heat your desiccated coconut until it smells good, we don’t want it burnt because the desiccated coconut will taste bitter. The desiccated coconut will have a bitter taste Now it’s starting to smell. It smells tropical, you can really smell the coconut. Heating it is not just for the color, but when you’re heating it, you’re actually bringing out the essential oils, that’s why it smells and tastes good.
So I’m going to turn off the flame, since it already smells now, and has become aromatic. And then right here, when it's already bearable, when the heat is bearable, then it's ready to be transferred from the pan. Oops it's still unbearable, so.. let's use this Just invert it, so, it will cool down faster and just leave it there. Next, let’s move here.
Let’s move our desiccated coconut here. So basically, we are now preparing for setup. So next is... many asked how is it going to be Ube? ...I'm just going to reuse this stove I mean the frying pan. I'm gonna wipe it with tissue... To make it Ube, you’re actually going to dip the bars in an Ube syrup. In Australia, there is a dessert similar to this, they call it Lamingtons. It’s like a cake dipped in syrup with some icing and then rolled in desiccated coconut. So it’s very simple.
In your pan, just simply mix condensed milk, I have here condensed milk, approximately 1 can of condensed milk, a little bit of water, not too much, and Ube flavoring, around a tablespoon of Ube flavoring color, not too much, Just bring it to simmer, a quick simmer.
Actually, it is already okay when it starts to give off smoke, that's already okay. You just want to cook the Ube flavoring for just a bit, just to slightly heat the Ube flavoring, to remove the after-taste. Of course, let's admit it, this is not a real Ube. This is only concentrated, but it tastes the same and it still gives you the really nice flavor, aroma, and color.
So because this is processed, it’s not natural, you want to cook it a bit just to remove any after-taste. When it is ready, taste it and see if it’s okay. hmm... it's good. And then pour it aside. Alright, so my bars are completely cooled down, I'm now ready So first, it’s really up to you on how long your bars are going to be.
Maybe this one I'll cut this into three. Then cut it into bars, like that. See? Oh the... the last ones are kinda small, maybe I can just have these small pieces, this is going to be mine. So once you cut it into bars, just get a tong, and look, this is it, for those who asked how does it going to be Ube for these Ube bars. So you’re going to dip the bars, look you just dip it and don’t let it dip long enough as you won’t want it to become soggy and wet. Just dip it like that, and then after dipping it, you put it into the desiccated coconut. see?... yeah hmm... there you go So one more, it is that simple. When I…
When I developed this recipe, this is also what I had in mind, that I really thought it has real Ube...This is a statement, that the Filipino bakers are really good. ..Filipino bakers are really good... because we innovate, we create products like this that is really economical, cheap... yet very delicious.
If you’re having a hard time using tongs you can just use your bare hands but keep your one hand dry. Okay, so you dip. I’m down to my last two pieces, and actually we made some more Ube syrup. I’m to my last two, beautiful, isn’t it? And last one. If you want this sweeter, just use lesser water. And of course, it’s not only limited to just Ube, if you want to make Buko Pandan bars, then use Buko Pandan flavoring. Alright, so next, let’s taste some.
I’m going to show you… of course I'm going to pick this one here, from the bottom. I’m going to show you what’s on the inside.
So it's Ube on the outside but when you break it open, you will see that the inside is white. This is what kinda bothers me before like, how did they make it that way? It's white on the inside but Ube on the outside. And when you eat it, it’s really moist. Hmm, it's delicious. It reminds me of how this is only three pesos for one bar before, right? and you know, this really tastes good, like I can’t sell it for only three pesos, because you know, it’s made with butter, right?
Hmm... it's very moist... Even without Ube.
You knew that even though it's not real Ube, and you knew that what we used is not pure, things that you knew they’re not pure and it’s not real but still, it’s so good. That makes you really happy and very comforting, this is it, the Ube Bars which really doesn’t have Ube, just the Ube flavoring, but still tastes like it is Ube. I don’t know if what I’m saying is right, but one thing is for sure, it’s really good, it’s very easy to make, it’s very affordable, and it’s very easy to sell.
That’s what you really want, what we really want. So what are you waiting for?
Make your own Ube Bars because this will surely make your Ubebebebe so happy,
I'll see you soon and take care
