We all know matcha by now. In just a few years, the green latte has secured a permanent place on the map of coffee bars all over the world.
But anyone who follows the latest trends has probably already seen a new color appear among all that green: purple.
Meet ube.
An ingredient that has been used in the Philippines for generations, but is now increasingly appearing in lattes, iced drinks and other creative drinks. And honestly? We understand why.
But first: what exactly is ube?
Ube, pronounced oe-beh, is a purple yam native to the Philippines.
There it is traditionally used in all kinds of sweet preparations, from pastries and puddings to ice cream and other desserts. The striking purple color is completely natural and is accompanied by a surprisingly smooth taste.
Think of a light, nutty touch, combined with hints of vanilla, hazelnut and caramel.
Ube does look very distinct. It doesn't taste very distinct.
And that is precisely where we think a large part of its charm lies.
Is ube the same as taro?
No.
Ube is often confused with taro or purple sweet potato, but they are different ingredients.
Taro is usually paler, starchier and more neutral in taste. Purple sweet potato is a bit firmer and fuller.
Ube is distinguished by its intense natural purple color and its soft, slightly sweet and nutty character.
In other words: it looks quite spectacular, without overpowering everything in terms of taste.
Will ube be the new matcha?
That comparison is of course obvious.
Matcha brought color to our coffee bars and ensured that customers also looked for new flavors and drink experiences outside the classic coffee offering.
Ube is now doing something similar.
But the two do not replace each other.
Matcha has its typical green, vegetal taste with umami and a clear character of its own. Ube is much softer, rounder and more dessert-like.
We see them mainly as two completely different products that can be perfectly placed next to each other on a card.
And for those who like to experiment: they can even be combined in one drink.
Purple and green. You don't have to have much imagination to understand why that works on Instagram. 😉
Why are we fans at Viva Sara?
At Viva Sara we have been working with coffee and tea for years, but we are just as interested in everything that happens around a good drinking experience.
Discovering new flavors, developing recipes and inspiring catering customers to occasionally think outside the classic cappuccino or latte, that still excites us.
That is why we have been distributing Zuma Drinks products for some time and we are the official importer of Zuma for the Benelux.
Their new Zuma Ube Powder fits perfectly within that story.
The product consists of 100% ube. No added colourants, no artificial flavours. Just the ingredient itself, finely ground into a powder that makes it easy to make hot and cold drinks.
And then of course there is that color.
You don't actually have to do anything for it. Ube does the work himself.
How do you use Zuma Ube Powder?
The basics are very simple.
Use approximately 1.5 grams of Zuma Ube Powder per drink.
If necessary, first sieve the powder to avoid lumps and then mix it with approximately 30 ml of warm or cold water.
Beat vigorously with a small whisk or matcha whisk until you get a smooth, slightly foamy paste.
Then you can start playing.
Milk, plant-based drinks, coconut, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and even matcha combine particularly well with ube.
To help you get started, we list some of our favorite preparations below.
Recipe 1: Ube Latte
The easiest way to get to know ube.
Ingredients
- 1.5g Zuma Ube Powder
- 30 ml of water
- 250 ml milk or vegetable drink
Preparation
Mix the Ube Powder with the water and beat well until you get a smooth mixture.
In the meantime, steam the milk as for a classic latte.
Slowly pour the steamed milk into the ube and stir gently.
The result is a soft, creamy latte with that typical purple color and subtle notes of vanilla, hazelnut and caramel.
Simple, but very tasty.
Recipe 2: Iced Ube Latte
Same idea, but summery.
Ingredients
- 1.5g Zuma Ube Powder
- 30 ml of water
- 200 to 250 ml milk or vegetable drink
- ice cubes
Preparation
Beat the Ube Powder together with the water into a smooth paste.
Fill a glass generously with ice and add the milk.
Then slowly pour the ube on top.
If necessary, serve it in layers first. That looks fantastic.
Then just mix and drink.
You can perfectly serve the Iced Ube Latte without extra sugar, but if you like it a little sweeter, you can add a little vanilla, for example.
Recipe 3: Iced Ube Chocolate
Ube and chocolate?
Absolute.
The light nutty and vanilla-like notes of ube combine particularly nicely with dark chocolate.
Ingredients
- 1.5g Zuma Ube Powder
- 30 ml of water
- 2 pumps Zuma Dark Chocolate Sauce
- 200 to 250 ml milk or vegetable drink
- ice cubes
Preparation
Add two pumps of Dark Chocolate Sauce to the bottom of the glass.
Fill the glass with ice and add the milk.
Separately mix the Ube Powder with the water until smooth.
Carefully pour the ube over the milk so that you get nice layers.
Admire it for a moment, take a photo if you want, and then mix well.
A slightly richer preparation that is somewhere between an iced chocolate and a dessert drink.
Recipe 4: Ube Dragonfruit Cloud
For those who want to go all out.
This is one of those drinks that has customers pulling out their phones before even tasting it.
Ingredients
- Zuma Ube Powder
- dragonfruit puree or syrup
- coconut water
- cold foam
- ice cubes
Preparation
Place a small amount of dragon fruit puree or syrup at the bottom of the glass.
Add ice and top up with coconut water.
Separately mix a small amount of Ube Powder into your cold foam and beat into a light purple foam layer.
Carefully spoon or pour the ube foam on top of the drink.
Fruity, fresh, colorful and above all very different from what you normally encounter on a drinks menu.
And now experiment yourself
That's perhaps what we like best about ube.
You don't have to stick to one recipe.
Try it with coconut milk. Combine it with white chocolate. Add vanilla. Make an ube frappe. Use it in a smoothie. Or combine a layer of ube with matcha for a striking green-purple creation.
In our opinion, a good ingredient should not only be tasty. It should also make you want to play with it.
And ube absolutely does that.
Zuma Ube Powder is available from Viva Sara in packages of 100 grams. Viva Sara is the official importer of Zuma Drinks for Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
