Ube Hand Pies

Ube Hand Pies reminds me of my grandma’s cooking. I remember being in her kitchen while she was busy making her delicious “ube halaya” during the holiday season. It was a mixture of mashed deep purple yam (a starchy tuber) with butter, cream, and sugar. Ube halaya is a popular Filipino dessert. Due to accessibility, I used Stokes Purple sweet potatoes for this recipe. Equally delicious and no need to add any artificial coloring.

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difference between stokes purple sweet potatoes and ube

Stokes Purple sweet potatoes are a variety of sweet potato that is a vibrant purple color, while Ube is a widely popular Filipino purple yam. Stokes Purple sweet potatoes are much sweeter than Ube, which has a more earthy, nutty flavor. The two taste very different, but both are great options for a wide variety of dishes! If you want to learn more about ube read my blog post on Ube Tart. 

If you’re a big fan of ube, you’ll love my Ube Rolls recipe.

ingredients notes

UBE HALAYA FILLING:

• Stokes Purple sweet potatoes – I used 3 medium size stokes potatoes, peeled them, and cut them into inch cubes. Cooked the same way as regular potatoes (yields 2 cups). 
• Salted butter is what I used –  I didn’t add extra salt since the butter is already salted.
• Heavy cream – helps with the consistency and adds creaminess to the ube mixture. 
• Brown sugar – for extra sweetness.
• Pure maple syrup – add an earthy flavor and sweetened the mixture.
• Cinnamon – is the perfect spice to use for this mixture.
• Vanilla – helps ramp up the flavor. 

ONCE THE FILLING IS COOL TIME TO ROLL THE CRUST:

• Store-bought Puff Pastry dough – is an easy way to make your hand pies. I used a 10×15 sheet, rolled it, and cut them into squares (4×4). In case you can only find a smaller package, then you can cut your hand pie in any shape you like e.g. round, oblong, or even triangle. 
• Egg wash helps create a nice brown finish for your pie. I used one egg and mix it with 2 teaspoons of cream or whole milk. I also use it to seal the edges of the hand pie. 
• Granulated or crystal sugar is an option to sprinkle on top before baking. I like the finished crystal look. 

how to make Ube Hand Pies

FILLING:

1. Peel and cut the Stokes Potatoes into an inch size. For the purpose of not getting your hands all purple, you surely need to wear gloves.  Fill a stock pot with water, and add the cubed purple potatoes. Then cook for 10-12 minutes or until fork tender (see video). 
2. Once the purple potatoes are tender, drain the water and place them back on the stove, then turn the heat to medium-high. Add butter, heavy cream, brown sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla, then stir to combine. Use an immersion blender and blend the mixture until smooth (see notes). 
3. Cool completely before storing or filling the pastry dough. 

BAKE THE HAND PIES:

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF and line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper. 
2. Lightly dust the surface with flour. Lay the Puff Pastry sheet, then roll and cut it into squares (about 4×4). 
3. Make the egg wash, use a fork and mix one egg plus 2 teaspoons of cream or whole milk. 
4. Scoop about a tablespoon of ube filling and fill each square of dough. Place the filling in the middle of the square. Using your finger, lightly dab the edges with egg wash. Close and seal the dough, then use a fork and press with enough pressure to leave impressions to crimp the edges. 
5. Use a pairing knife and make 3 slits on top of the pie. Brush with egg wash, and it’s an option to sprinkle crystal sugar. Bake for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. 

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