Ube Espresso Martini

Starting this new mocktail series that aims to showcase flavors from my homeland, the Philippines. What better way to start it than with Ube?

Ube, or purple yam, is a root crop that’s native to Southeast Asia and is a staple ingredient in Filipino desserts. It has an earthy flavor that is reminiscent of vanilla and coconut. It also has a striking purple color! I’ve noticed that ube has been gaining popularity more and more in recent years. There’s even a number of different ube-flavored products at Trader Joe’s! Amazing! So I thought to make a mocktail recipe using this flavor.

I thought its unique flavor would go really well in an espresso martini. For this mocktail version, I used @ritualzeroproof ‘s Rum Alternative as my base spirit. The flavors of vanilla and molasses from the rum alternative work really well with ube. To brighten it up a bit (flavor-wise and color-wise), I added a splash of coconut milk to it. In case you didn’t know, ube + coconut = match made in heaven. The espresso adds in bitterness and depth, and a little bit of simple syrup just rounds all the flavors up.

Polvoron, or Philippine Shortbread, is one of my favorite Filipino delicacies. It’s made of powdered milk, sugar, and butter. I decided to crumble some ube-flavored polvoron and use it to garnish this Filipino mocktail.

Hope you give this recipe a try!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Rum Alternative (I used @ritualzeroproof )

• 1 oz espresso (chilled)

• 1/2 oz simple syrup

• 1/2 oz coconut milk

• 1 dash of ube extract / a quarter of a bar spoon

• Ube Polvoron for garnish (I used @goldilocksph / @goldilocks_usa )
  

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients (except garnish) in a cocktail shaker)

2. Add ice then shake for 30 seconds.

3. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.

4. Garnish with crushed Ube Polvoron.

Cheers! 🍹⚡️