Ube Pie by Michael Morales
Michael Morales is the Culinary Director of Sunda New Asian, overseeing multiple locations nationally. With appearances on Food Network’s Chopped and leadership roles in award-winning Asian restaurants, Morales is recognized for modernizing traditional flavors and supporting charitable culinary initiatives.
Yields 2 pies
Ingredients for Ube Pie:
2 premade 9-inch pie crusts
2 large purple sweet potatoes
¼ lb unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
2 whole eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Juice from ½ fresh medium-sized lemon
Plate Garnishes:
Banana leaf (cut into a square)
Coconut crumble (see recipe below)
Fresh sliced jackfruit
Directions for Ube Pie:
Peel the sweet potatoes and place them in a steamer. Cook until tender, and you can easily pierce them with a knife.
In a mixer with a paddle attachment, whip the sweet potatoes until well-mashed. Remove the paddle and any fibers. Clean the paddle.
Return the paddle to the mixer and add butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and the eggs (one at a time).
Once incorporated, distribute the mixture evenly into the premade pie crusts.
Place pies in a 350°F oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Place pies in the cooler. Once chilled, add a layer of ube frosting.
Pipe stars on top of the pie using an up-and-down motion, then lightly torch the top.
Cut into 6 equal slices (for whole pies, do not slice).
Plating:
Place a square banana leaf on the bottom of the plate.
Place a slice of pie in the center.
Add coconut crumble.
Garnish with sliced jackfruit.
Ingredients for Burnt Coconut Crumble:
1 each #10 can of coconut milk
Directions for Burnt Coconut Crumble:
Place coconut milk in a stainless steel, heavy-bottom pot over low heat. Cook until the oils separate, about 30 minutes. Do not whisk—wait for the fat to separate.
Once fat separates, whisk constantly so the curds do not burn.
Pass through a fine-mesh strainer.
Reserve the coconut crumbles.
Ingredients for Ube Buttercream:
5 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla extract
2–3 tbsp whole milk
Pinch kosher salt
½ tsp ube extract
Directions for Ube Buttercream:
In a mixer, add softened butter and powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until incorporated, then increase speed and beat for 1 minute until light and fluffy. The mixture should be stiff.
Add vanilla extract and 2 tbsp milk. Add additional milk ½ tsp at a time until frosting is smooth and spreadable.
If the mixture is too thick, beat in more milk—just a drop at a time—until smooth and spreadable.
Add kosher salt and ube extract; mix until fully incorporated.
Ingredients for Ube Meringue:
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
6 large egg whites
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp cream of tartar
1–2 drops ube extract
Directions for Ube Meringue:
Bring 2 cups of water to a simmer in a medium pot.
Combine sugar, egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Reduce the heat under the simmering water and place the stand mixer bowl over the steam. Whisk egg whites lightly until a digital thermometer reads 160°F, about 6–10 minutes. Remove from heat immediately.
Place the bowl into the stand mixer and attach the whisk. Whisk on high speed until the egg whites are cool and stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. The mixture should be pure white.
Place meringue into a piping bag with a star tip.