Halo

A classic Filipino dessert, halo-halo layers shaved ice and sweetened condensed milk with an array of toppings for contrasting textures. The result is cold, creamy, crunchy, chewy, and refreshing, with what contributor Tiana Gee calls “beautiful little treasures in every bite.” The dish’s name means “mix-mix” in Tagalog, and that’s exactly how it’s meant to be enjoyed: Stir everything together before digging in. While components vary, you’ll find common add-ins at most halo-halo carts and bars: jellies, flan, macapuno (the jelly-like flesh of a particular type of coconut), palm seeds, sweetened red beans, ice cream, fresh fruit, toasted coconut flakes, and pinipig (crispy sprinkles of flattened glutinous rice). Gee’s version combines homemade mango jelly, coconut leche flan, roasted sweet corn, chewy sago pearls, pandan-infused condensed milk, and ube ice cream for a vibrant take on the beloved dessert. Gather some friends and let everyone customize the layers with their favorite halo-halo ingredients—there’s no single right way to build a glass. What is halo-halo? Halo-halo is a slushy Filipino shaved-ice dessert that layers sweetened condensed milk with assorted toppings, including fruit, jellies, sweetened beans, coconut, flan, sago pearls, palm seeds, pinipig, and ice cream. Its name translates to “mix-mix,” a reminder to stir everything together before eating. Can I customize the ingredients? Absolutely. Halo-halo varies from household to household and from shop to shop. This recipe includes homemade mango jelly, coconut flan, roasted corn, and pandan condensed milk, but you can swap in your favorite fruits, jellies, sweet beans, or other traditional or store-bought toppings such as ube jam and prepared flan. Where can I find halo-halo ingredients? Many Filipino and pan-Asian grocery stores carry these ingredients, but they can be hard to find in standard American grocery stores. If it’s your first time shopping for them, here’s where to look: - Macapuno: Sometimes called “coconut sport,” this is the soft, jelly-like flesh of a particular coconut variety, typically sold in sweetened syrup. Look for it in jars, near the canned fruit. - Pinipig: Toasted, flattened young glutinous rice. Look for it near the rice or in the snack aisle. - Sago pearls: Small starch pearls with a pleasantly chewy texture, similar to boba. - Palm seeds (kaong): Sweet, translucent palm fruit preserved in syrup. Look for it in jars, wherever you found the macapuno. - Pandan condensed milk: Pandan is a fragrant leaf used throughout Southeast Asian cooking with a floral, vanilla-like flavor and the power to dye anything bright green. That said, halo-halo is intentionally flexible. If you can’t find these ingredients, simply omit them or substitute with another topping, like toasted coconut or crispy rice cereal for crunch, or a different sweet fruit preserve and plain sweetened condensed milk (our favorite brand is Longevity; read more in our Sweetened Condensed Milk Taste Test). Do I need shaved ice? Yes—the fine texture of shaved ice is what gives halo-halo its signature consistency. If you don't own an ice shaver, crushing ice as finely as possible in a high-powered blender is the next-best option. Do I mix halo-halo before eating? Yes. Although it's assembled in beautiful layers, halo-halo is meant to be thoroughly mixed with a long spoon so the ice, condensed milk, and toppings combine into one creamy, icy dessert. Many eateries serve a tall glass of halo-halo with an empty bowl so that you can dump and stir even more. Watch Tiana and Chef Harold Villarosa make halo-halo What you’ll need Buenas Macapuno Strings in Heavy Syrup, 12-oz. jar $14 At Amazon Soeos Tapioca Pearls (Sago), 2 (500g) packages $17 At Amazon Milagros Farms Pounded Sweet Rice Flakes (Pinipig) $6 $3 At Sukli Monika Red Mung Beans in Extra-Heavy Syrup (Munggo) 12-oz. jar $13 At Amazon Barrio Fiesta Green Sugar Palm Fruit in Syrup (Kaong), 12-oz. jar $15 At Amazon Blender $40 At Amazon Loaf Pan $19 At Amazon Small Saucepan $155 At Amazon Microplane $18 At Amazon Citrus Juicer $20 $15 At Amazon Small Skillet $23 At Amazon Recipe information Yield Makes 4 Ingredients Mango jelly 2 ¼ 1 Coconut leche flan ¼ 4 ½ ½ ½ ¼ Assembly 2 3 1 1 ¼ 1½ ¼ 1 1 1 ½ ½ Need to make a substitution? Preparation Mango jelly Step 1 Blend 1 ripe mango (preferably Ataulfo), peeled, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup), zest and juice of ½ lime, ¼ cup mango nectar, and a small pinch of kosher salt in a blender until very smooth. Step 2 Heat 1 envelope unflavored powdered gelatin (about 2½ tsp.) and ½ cup water in a small saucepan over medium, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in mango purée. Pour into a 9x5" loaf pan. Carefully add remaining 1 ripe mango (preferably Ataulfo), peeled, cut into small cubes (about 1 cup), and stir to combine. Cover jelly tightly and chill until set, 20–30 minutes. Do Ahead: Jelly can be made 5 days ahead. Keep chilled. Flan Step 3 Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Heat ¼ cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar and 1 Tbsp. water in a small saucepan over medium, stirring until sugar is dissolved; cook, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush as needed, until caramel is deep amber, 7–9 minutes. Scrape into another 9x5" loaf pan. Step 4 Whisk 4 large egg yolks, ½ cup plus 2 Tbsp. unsweetened coconut milk, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, ½ tsp. vanilla extract, and ¼ tsp. Diamond Crystal or Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl to combine. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into loaf pan with caramel. Cover pan with foil and set inside a roasting pan; transfer to oven rack. Carefully pour hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of loaf pan (a tea kettle makes this easy). Step 5 Bake flan until just set in the center (it should still wobble a little when pan is gently shook) and barely golden on top, 55–60 minutes. Let cool (still covered). Remove flan from roasting pan and chill until cold, at least 4 hours. Do Ahead: Flan can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Assembly Step 6 Shuck 2 ears of yellow corn, then cut kernels from cobs and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle 3 Tbsp. sugar and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt over, then drizzle 1 tsp. vegetable oil over; toss to combine. Spread out in a single layer and roast until corn is slightly crisped but not yet browned and a little sticky, 12–15 minutes. Let cool. Step 7 Meanwhile, bring ¼ cup small sago pearls and ½ cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan; cook until pearls are translucent and firm-tender, 8–10 minutes. Drain and transfer to a small bowl. Pour in 1½ cups unsweetened coconut milk and stir well to separate pearls. Let cool. Step 8 Toast ¼ cup sweetened shredded coconut in a small skillet over medium heat until edges start to brown and crisp, about 5 minutes (be careful not to overcook). Transfer to a plate and let cool. Step 9 Cut flan into 1" pieces and divide among tall glasses or wide bowls. Cut mango jelly into desired shapes and arrange on top. Divide roasted corn, sago pearls, toasted coconut, shaved ice, 1 pint ube ice cream, one 14-oz. can pandan or regular sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries, ½ cup store-bought macapuno strings, ½ cup drained palm seeds in syrup, dyed green or color of choice, among glasses and top with store-bought toasted pinipig (pounded sweet rice) and sweetened red beans as desired. Editor’s note: This halo-halo recipe was first printed online in July 2021; it has been updated for style. Head this way for more of our favorite no-bake desserts →