Recipe · Nº01 Ube · Iced
Ube sunset latte with coffee
An iced ube latte with espresso, built in layers. Purple ube milk fades into a warm band of coffee, with a thick ube cold foam on top.
- 5 min
- 1 glass
- Iced
The recipe
How to pour the sunset.
First you make purple ube milk and a cold foam. Then you pour the espresso slowly over the ice, so the coffee sinks and the purple turns to amber.
- 01
Make the ube milk
Stir 1 scoop of ube powder into 30 ml warm water until you have a smooth, lump-free paste. Stir it into 150 ml cold milk and sweeten to taste.
- 02
Make the cold foam
Put the heavy cream (or cold barista oat), vanilla, powdered sugar, a pinch of salt and, if you like, 1/4 tsp ube powder in a jug. Froth with a milk frother until the foam is thick but still just pourable.
- 03
Build the sunset
Fill a glass with ice and pour in the ube milk. Pour the espresso slowly over the back of a spoon so the coffee sinks and a purple-to-amber gradient forms. Don't stir.
- 04
Finish with foam
Spoon the cold foam slowly on top into a thick layer and dust with a little ube powder. Stir just before drinking.
Tips and quick fixes
- Sharper layers. Use lots of ice and well-chilled espresso. The bigger the temperature gap, the crisper the layers. Pouring over the spoon spreads the stream out, so the coffee doesn't mix straight in.
- Foam that holds. Make it with cold heavy cream or cold barista oat. The powdered sugar and the pinch of salt keep it firm, so it floats on top like a thick cloud.
- Stir when you drink. That way the sunset stays photo-ready, and afterwards you taste everything together: creamy ube, full-bodied coffee and soft vanilla.
- Lumps in the ube milk? Dissolve the powder in the warm water into a smooth paste first, then stir in the milk.
- Foam too thin? Use cold cream or barista oat and froth for longer. The powdered sugar helps keep the foam stable.
- Layers mixing straight away? There was too little ice or the coffee was too hot. Add more ice and let the espresso cool for a moment first.
Purple, amber and white
A sunset in a glass.
Questions
About the ube sunset latte.
What is an ube sunset latte with coffee?
An iced ube latte with espresso, built in layers. The purple ube milk and the warm coffee band blend into each other like a sunset, with a thick ube cold foam on top.
Does an ube sunset latte contain caffeine?
Yes. Ube itself is naturally caffeine-free, but this version has espresso in it and so it has caffeine. Leave out the coffee and you have a classic ube latte.
How do I get the layered sunset gradient?
Fill the glass with plenty of ice, pour in the ube milk first, then pour the espresso slowly over the back of a spoon. The cold ube milk and the ice make the coffee sink gradually, which gives the purple-to-amber gradient. Only stir just before drinking.
Can I make the ube sunset latte plant-based?
Yes. Use plant-based milk for the ube milk and cold barista oat milk instead of cream for the cold foam. With a pinch of salt and powdered sugar, barista oat froths up nicely.
Which ube should I use for this recipe?
Use 100% pure ube powder with no added sugar or flavouring. It tastes soft and creamy, with hints of vanilla and pistachio. Dissolve it in a little warm water into a smooth paste first, so you get no lumps and a deep purple colour. See our ube powder.
