A confession: I almost shed a tear when I used up the last of my ube jam for this cheesecake recipe. But one bite, and I knew it was worth it.
The ube jam is vivid purple, dark and dense, so thick that one tablespoon feels hefty. It’s creamy and tastes subtly nutty, perfectly complementing sweet cheesecake.

Ube jam, or halaya, is purple yam jam. It’s made with boiled and mashed ube, condensed milk, coconut milk, sugar, and butter. Even though it’s called “jam,” it’s not really jam, but more like a very thick pudding. It’s closer in texture to heavy mashed potatoes, but on the opposite end of the spectrum in taste. It’s dessert, or breakfast, or snack, or main ingredient.
I’ve written about my love for all things ube before, and admit that one of my favorite treats from the Philippines is a jar of ube jam. My parents brought several containers of ube jam last month, and I’ve rationed my precious portions out very carefully.
These cheesecake bars are incredibly easy to make, and combines two of my very favorite things in the world: cheesecake and ube. Yes, I used pre-made ube jam, but you can make your own if you are so inclined (I suggest this recipe or this).
I made simple cheesecake bars – so simple, you only need one bowl, and you don’t need a bain-marie (water bath) nor a springform pan. Then I topped it with ube jam. Baked till set, till the ube jam turned an even deeper purple, then chilled, c...