As we were finishing our meal at Bae Korean Grill — an “upscale Korean barbecue dining experience featuring state-of-the-art Shinpo grill tables,” at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 5711 Seminole Way, Hollywood, Florida — our server claimed the "Ube Flan” ($18) was their "best dessert.”▫️
Ube — “Dioscorea alata” — is a purple yam/sweet potato that's popular in the Philippines and other Asian countries. It gives a purple hue, and a wonderfully earthy flavor, to whatever it’s added, particularly desserts. (This root vegetable is reportedly rich in antioxidants, including anthocyanins and vitamin C, which may help lower blood sugars and reduce the growth of certain cancers. Of course, when in dessert form, the health benefits are likely diminished or negated.)
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Basically, it’s often served as a “caramel custard,” “crème caramel,” or “flan,” with a slightly “carmelized” top, and a sweet, silky-smooth interior. (Flan is often made with whole eggs, while the Filipino version uses egg yolks; with the latter affording a richness and depth.)
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According to online recipes, this item takes about 10 minutes to prep, and about an hour to cook. And to that end, you’ll need: egg yolks, evaporated milk, condensed milk, ube extract, sugar and water; usually culminating in a mouth-watering end result. (But not here.)
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For some reason, the version we received was topped with an exceedingly generous portion of whipped cream, which we found “heavy” and way too sweet. It offered taste sensations which masked any of the underlying ube. (The heaviness also gave us abdominal discomfort which was a terrible way to end our (already troubled) meal.) Because we didn’t enjoy it (or its $22 price post-tax/tip), it rated an “F.”
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Yes, my friends, Ube wise to avoid this.
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