Ube Hand Pies with Cheese

Name: Ube Hand Pies with Cheese
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 42 min
Ingredients: 1 puff pastry sheet (thawed but still cold); 1 egg; 2 tbsp granulated sugar; 2-3 oz block cheddar cheese (cut into slices); 4 tbsp ube halaya ()

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These heart-shaped ube hand pies inspired by Jollibee are so cute and easy to make! They’re flaky, sweet, savory, and baked right in the oven.

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Puff pastry stuffed with ube jam and cheddar cheese.

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What is ube?

If you’re not familiar with ube (pronunciation: oo-beh), it is a purple yam native to the Philippines. Ube is sometimes confused with another vegetable called taro, which has an earthier flavor and is used in both savory + sweet dishes.

Ube is sweeter and often described as having vanilla and nutty notes. It’s commonly used in desserts, such as ice cream, cakes… and this ube pastry! You can find ube in the baking aisle of some Asian markets, especially Filipino ones, in the form of ube extract and ube halaya (aka ube jam). But if all else fails, you can buy ube extract/halaya or powdered ube online!

Why you’ll love this recipe

It’s super beginner friendly! This ube hand pie recipe is pretty much an assembly game of putting store-bought ingredients together. The pastries will be ready in less than an hour and they are SO deliciously buttery, flaky, not-too-sweet, and full of ube flavor. <3
The hand pies are baked, not fried. So no need to work with a bunch of oil and deep fry! Simply bake or air fry them until golden brown.
You can easily switch up the flavors. You can always swap out cheddar cheese for a different one, or add in other ingredients like chocolates, shredded coconut, etc.

Equipment

Baking tray
Parchment paper
Small bowls: For the sugar topping and egg wash.
Hand whisk or fork: For beating the egg.
Knife: To spread the ube jam and to cut slits on the tops of the assembled pastries.
Rolling pin
Knife or cookie cutters: I used a heart cookie cutter! You can always use a knife to cut out rectangles or try out other cookie cutter shapes!
Pastry brush

Ingredients

To make this recipe simple, we’re using store-bought pastry!

Puff pastry sheet: I used the brand Pepperidge Farm.
Egg: For egg washing the sides of the puff pastry.
Granulated sugar: For sprinkling on top of the egg washed surfaces. It adds a nice hint of sweetness and crunchy texture. 🙂
Cheese: I used slices of block cheddar cheese.
Ube halaya: Also known as ube jam!

How to make ube pastries

Mise en place: aka “put in place”. This French saying simply means measure out all of the ingredients and prep your equipment beforehand. This will help you stay more organized and move more seamlessly in the kitchen while you follow this recipe.
Roll out thawed puff pastry: Using your rolling pin, gently roll out puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to help minimize any cracks.
Cut out shapes: You can cut out rectangles or use cookie cutters! I used my heart cookie cutters. You will need 2 cutouts per hand pie. Since I had 8 total cutouts, I placed 4 of them on a lined baking sheet and set the remaining aside.

Spread ube jam and add cheese: Spread about 1/2 tbsp of ube jam about ¼-inch from the border. Add cheese on top, then another 1/2 tbsp of ube jam.
Egg wash: Egg wash the edges of the pastry and add top layer of puff pastry.

Seal edges and egg wash: Using your fingers, seal edges completely shut with your fingers, then crimp edges with a fork. Egg wash and sprinkle granulated sugar on top, then use a knife to cut 2-3 slits to let air escape while baking.
Bake: Bake at 400°F/204°C for 12-15 minutes, or until puff pastry is golden brown. Allow to cool on pan for about 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack.
Store: Keep in airtight container in fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in microwave for 30-45 seconds or in toaster oven until pastry crisps up again.

Storage

I recommend storing the ube pastries in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat them, pop them in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, or in a toaster oven until the pastry crisps up again.

FAQs

Why did the ube filling leak out?

When adding the top layer of puff pastry, really make sure to completely seal the edges shut! Use your fingers to pinch the edges together, then a fork to crimp them.

Can I make them ahead of time?

Yes, you can. First, I recommend lining them up in a single layer on a lined baking sheet or tray for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or baggie. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Bake as usual, adding 5-10 extra minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown.