Halo-Halo

Halo-halo is a cold Filipino shaved-ice dessert with sweetened fruits, beans and jellies beneath milk and toppings. Lalaine Manalo presents it as a customizable mixture whose components bring creamy, soft and chewy textures into the glass.

Her homemade Saba bananas cook in water and sugar until soft and the liquid thickens. Vanilla extract is stirred in after the heat is turned off, making a sweetened banana component for the dessert.

For the red mung component, the beans are soaked and drained, then simmered with fresh water and sugar until tender and syrupy. Gulaman is prepared separately with less water than its package calls for, producing firmer cubes.

Small spoonfuls of the desired add-ins fill roughly the bottom third of a tall glass. Shaved ice is packed above them and drizzled with evaporated milk, then leche flan and ice cream are placed on top.

This selected combination uses gulaman, the sweetened red mung beans and Saba bananas, drained nata de coco and kaong, and sweetened jackfruit. Vanilla ice cream finishes the glass; ube halaya, macapuno and pinipig offer further toppings, with the assembled dessert served immediately.