Red, White, and Blue Halo-halo Cooler This Fourth of July, elevate your celebration with a tasty and vibrant twist! Halo-halo, meaning "mix-mix" in Filipino, traditionally combines a variety of sweet ingredients like fruits, beans, and jellies, layered with shaved ice and drizzled with creamy milk. For this special occasion, let's give Halo-halo a red, white, and blue makeover, creating a patriotic masterpiece that's as visually stunning as it is delicious.
Instructions:
1. Prepare the Ingredients: z Cook and sweeten the red beans if using dried ones.
Ingredients: z
Crushed ice Coconut milk
z Drain the coconut gel or nata de coco. z Cube the watermelon or strawberries.
z
z Red beans (canned or cooked and sweetened) z Tropics Coconut Gel or Nata de Coco* This is a chewy, sweet fruit preserved in syrup, often used in Filipino desserts. Alternatively, you can use Knox unflavored gelatin to create a similar chewy texture (see package for instructions). z Macapuno (coconut sport)* This is a form of coconut with a soft, jelly- like texture. If unavailable, you can make Macapuno Flakes by combining sweetened flaked coconut with water. Another alternative is coconut strips or coconut flakes. z Cubed watermelon or strawberries (for the red) z Blueberries or blue-colored gelatin (for the blue) z Ube (purple yam or ice cream)* Ube has a distinctive purple color and flavor, used in both ice cream and jam form. An easy substitute would be taro root ice cream, which can often be found in Asian grocery stores or specialty food stores. z Leche flan (Crème caramel) (optional) z Sweetened condensed milk z Optional: crushed graham crackers or cornflakes for extra texture *These ingredients are available online or may be found in the Asian/international section of larger supermarkets.
z Prepare blue gelatin according to package instructions, let it set, and then cut it into cubes. 2. Assemble the Layers: z Start by adding a layer of crushed ice to the bottom of clear glasses or mason jars, leaving some space at the top. z Begin layering the ingredients: ○ Add a spoonful of red beans at the bottom. ○ Follow with a layer of nata de coco/ gelatin made from Knox. ○ Add a layer of cubed watermelon or strawberries for the red layer. ○ Place the cubed blue gelatin for the blue layer. ○ Add a scoop of ube ice cream or a dollop of ube halaya for the purple layer. ○ Optionally, add a piece of leche flan on top of the ube layer. 3. Drizzle sweetened condensed milk generously over the top of the ice cream. 4. Garnish: Sprinkle crushed graham crackers or cornflakes on top for added texture and flavor. 5. Serve: Insert a colorful straw into each glass and serve immediately. 6. Optional Presentation: For a festive touch, decorate the glasses with small American flags or red, white, and blue ribbons. 7. Enjoy! Encourage your guests to mix all the layers before indulging in this delightful Independence Day Halo-halo.
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