Christian Borbon
As UAE residents count down the final weeks of sweltering summer, there's still time to cool off with icy, comforting treats - especially the ones that stir up memories of home. Here's a roundup of beloved Filipino desserts perfect for staying refreshed while waiting for cooler days ahead.
A Filipino icon, halo-halo is a shaved ice dessert layered with evaporated milk and a colorful mix of toppings like leche flan, ube, jackfruit, sago, and sweet beans. Its name means 'mix-mix,' which is exactly what you do before digging in.
This creamy dessert features young coconut strips, pandan-flavored jelly, and sweetened cream. It’s fragrant, refreshing, and a staple at Filipino celebrations, though just as satisfying on an ordinary hot day.
A classic Filipino cooler made with chewy sago pearls, jelly cubes (gulaman), and brown sugar syrup, all poured over crushed ice. Served ice-cold, it's sweet, refreshing, and perfectly chewy.
This creamy corn dessert combines sweet corn kernels, shaved ice, and evaporated milk. It’s simple, satisfying, and the ultimate merienda (snack) for a hot afternoon. It’s simple, satisfying, and the ultimate merienda for a hot afternoon.
The Filipino take on a homemade popsicle. Frozen in slim plastic sleeves and bursting with flavors like mango, ube and chocolate, ice candy is a freezer staple across the Philippines.
Made with ripe saba bananas, shaved ice, and creamy milk, saging con yelo is a humble yet heartwarming snack. Cold, comforting, and packed with nostalgia.
A beloved street treat, ice scramble is made with shaved ice, powdered milk, chocolate syrup, and candy sprinkles. It’s sweet, icy, and full of childhood charm.
Back home in the Philippines, summer meant one thing: mango season