Quick & Tasty Ube Mochi Bars Recipe: Sweet Purple Treat

Ube mochi bars blend traditional Filipino flavors with modern dessert innovation, creating a uniquely textured sweet treat.

These vibrant purple delicacies capture the essence of cultural culinary creativity with their soft, chewy consistency.

Rich ube distinctive earthy sweetness crafts ordinary mochi into an extraordinary confection that tantalizes taste buds.

Glutinous rice flour provides the signature stretchy texture that makes these bars irresistibly addictive.

Creamy and dense, the bars offer a delightful contrast between smooth ube filling and tender mochi exterior.

Coconut undertones enhance the complex flavor profile, making each bite a delectable journey through Filipino dessert traditions.

Passionate bakers and dessert enthusiasts will find this recipe both challenging and rewarding.

Ube Mochi Bars Are Colorful, Chewy, and Delicious

• Savor Unique Flavor Fusion: This recipe brilliantly combines traditional Filipino ube with Japanese mochi, creating a delightful cross-cultural dessert that surprises your taste buds with its rich, vibrant purple color and creamy texture.
• Enjoy Effortless Baking Experience: With simple mixing techniques and straightforward instructions, these bars are perfect for home bakers of all skill levels, requiring just one bowl and minimal preparation time while delivering impressive results.
• Celebrate Versatile Dessert Delight: These bars work wonderfully as a crowd-pleasing treat for potlucks, family gatherings, or afternoon tea, offering a soft, chewy texture that melts in your mouth and delivers a subtle sweetness that isn't overwhelming.
• Embrace Comforting Tropical Essence: The combination of coconut milk and ube extract transports you to a tropical paradise, infusing each bite with a warm, nostalgic flavor that feels both familiar and exotic.

Pantry List for Ube Mochi Bars

Main Ingredients:

• Mochiko Flour: Sweet rice flour that creates the signature chewy texture of the bars, providing a unique mochi-like consistency.

• Evaporated Milk, Coconut Milk: Creamy liquids that add moisture and rich flavor to the bars, ensuring a soft and tender crumb.

• Eggs: Binding agent that helps structure the bars and adds richness.
• Ube Extract: Provides the distinctive purple color and authentic ube flavor, essential for the recipe's signature taste.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps create a tender, moist texture.
• Sugar: Sweetens the bars and helps with caramelization.

• Baking Powder: Helps the bars rise and create a light, soft texture.

How to Make Ube Mochi Bars from Scratch

Step 1: Prepare Baking Setup

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper
• Ensure parchment paper covers bottom and sides completely

Step 2: Create Butter Base

• Melt butter in a large mixing bowl
• Add sugar
• Whisk until smooth and well combined
• Mixture should look glossy and integrated

Step 3: Incorporate Eggs

• Add eggs one at a time
• Mix thoroughly after each egg addition
• Blend until mixture becomes light and fluffy

Step 4: Add Flavor Enhancers

• Pour ube extract into the mixture
• Stir until evenly distributed
• Ensure vibrant purple color is consistent throughout

Step 5: Mix Dry Ingredients

• Mochiko flour
• Baking powder
• Gently fold these into wet mixture
• Stir until approximately 80-90% combined
• Avoid overmixing to maintain soft texture

Step 6: Create Creamy Liquid Base

• Evaporated milk
• Coconut milk
• Slowly pour into batter
• Stir until completely smooth
• Check for absence of lumps

Step 7: Bake Mochi Bars

• Pour batter into prepared pan
• Spread evenly with spatula
• Bake for 45 minutes
• Test doneness by inserting toothpick
• Toothpick should have minimal dry crumbs

Step 8: Cool and Slice

• Remove from oven
• Allow bars to cool completely in pan
• Cut into rectangular bars
• Serve at room temperature

Tips for Baking the Best Ube Mochi Bars

• Measure Precisely: Use exact measurements for Mochiko flour and liquids to achieve the perfect bar texture.
• Mix Gently: Stir batter minimally to prevent overworking, which can make mochi bars tough and chewy.
• Check Moisture: Look for minimal dry crumbs when testing doneness to ensure a soft, tender interior.
• Cool Completely: Allow bars to cool entirely in the pan to help them set and develop a clean, crisp cut.
• Extract Quality: Choose high-quality ube extract for a rich, authentic purple color and vibrant flavor profile.

Storage and Reheating for Ube Mochi Bars

• Refrigerate: Store leftover ube mochi bars in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Seal tightly to prevent drying out and preserve their soft, chewy texture.
• Freeze: Wrap individual bars in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 2 months for longer storage. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before enjoying.
• Reheat: Warm bars briefly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to restore their original softness and enhance the ube flavor. Avoid overheating to maintain their delicate texture.

Ube Mochi Bars Pair Well With These Treats

• Pair with Purple Pleasure: Serve these ube mochi bars alongside a chilled ube milk tea for an intensely purple flavor experience that celebrates the unique ube essence.
• Tropical Beverage Companion: Match the dessert with a refreshing coconut water or light rum-based tropical cocktail to complement the coconut and creamy undertones of the bars.
• Contrast with Cool Cream: Accompany the warm, dense mochi bars with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to create a delightful temperature and texture contrast.
• Balance with Bright Tea: Enjoy the bars with a crisp, light green tea or jasmine tea that cuts through the richness and provides a clean, refreshing counterpoint to the sweet dessert.

Ube Mochi Bars with a Twist: Variation Ideas

• Purple Sweet Potato Paradise: Replace ube extract with mashed purple sweet potato for a more natural flavor and vibrant color, maintaining the same creamy texture and moisture in the bars.
• Tropical Coconut Crunch: Sprinkle toasted coconut flakes on top of the bars before baking and add a handful of chopped macadamia nuts to the batter for extra crunch and Hawaiian-inspired taste.
• Matcha Marble Magic: Divide the batter in half, mix matcha powder into one portion, and create a swirled effect by gently folding the two batters together before baking for a beautiful green and purple marbled appearance.
• Nutty Brown Butter Bliss: Brown the butter before mixing and add ground almonds or hazelnut meal to the dry ingredients for a rich, nutty undertone that complements the sweet ube flavor.

Ube Mochi Bars Recipe

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4.7 from 31 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Ube mochi bars offer a delightful Filipino dessert blending creamy purple yam with chewy mochi texture. Rich purple layers meld sweet rice flour and coconut milk into a luxurious treat craved by dessert enthusiasts seeking authentic Pacific island flavors.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 1 16-ounce (454 grams) box Mochiko flour (glutinous rice flour)
• 1 14-ounce (397 grams) can coconut milk
• 1 12-ounce (340 grams) can evaporated milk

Wet Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted and allowed to cool slightly
• 2 tablespoons ube extract

Dry Ingredients and Sweeteners:

• 1½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

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Instructions

1. Warm the oven to a precise 350°F and prepare a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, creating a smooth liner that extends slightly over the edges for easy removal.
2. Combine melted butter and sugar in a spacious mixing bowl, whisking until the mixture transforms into a silky, uniform texture.
3. Incorporate eggs individually, thoroughly blending each one to create a rich, cohesive base.
4. Introduce ube extract, stirring carefully to distribute the vibrant purple hue and distinctive flavor throughout the mixture.
5. Gradually fold in Mochiko flour and baking powder, mixing until the dry ingredients are almost completely integrated, leaving a few small pockets of flour visible.
6. Pour in evaporated milk and coconut milk, gently stirring until the batter becomes luxuriously smooth and free of any stubborn lumps.
7. Carefully transfer the velvety batter into the prepared pan, using a spatula to spread it evenly and ensure a consistent thickness.
8. Slide the pan into the preheated oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes, watching for a golden surface and checking doneness with a toothpick that should emerge with just a few moist crumbs.
9. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely within the pan, letting the texture set and flavors meld together.
10. When fully cooled, lift the bars out using the parchment paper edges and slice into neat, rectangular portions ready to be enjoyed.

Notes

• Achieve a smooth, lump-free batter by gradually incorporating wet and dry ingredients, ensuring even distribution of ube extract and milks.
• Use fresh, high-quality ube extract for the most vibrant purple color and authentic flavor profile.
• Allow bars to cool completely in the pan to set properly and develop a delightful chewy mochi texture.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for extended freshness.
• For best results, use a precise measuring technique when adding Mochiko flour to maintain the perfect dense, soft consistency.
• Parchment paper is crucial for easy removal and clean slicing of these delicate, tender ube mochi bars.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Filipino

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 260
• Sugar: 18 g
• Sodium: 85 mg
• Fat: 11 g
• Saturated Fat: 7 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 37 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 4 g
• Cholesterol: 70 mg