Razon's Halo-Halo Copycat Recipe
Razon's Halo-Halo is a streamlined reinvention of the traditional Filipino shaved ice dessert, crafted by layering caramelized saba bananas and macapuno strings beneath a mound of fine shaved ice drenched in evaporated milk, crowned with silky leche flan - a masterclass in minimalist dessert-making that originated from Pampanga in the 1970s and revolutionized the typically ingredient-heavy halo-halo by proving that thoughtful simplicity can create more memorable flavors than complexity.
Equipment
- Shave ice machine (Yelo machine) For creating fine, snow-like ice texture
- Heavy-bottom saucepan (Kaserola) For caramelizing bananas
- Glass bowls or tall glasses (10-16 oz) Traditional serving vessels
- Ice cream scoop or spoon (Kutsara) For portioning ingredients
- Measuring cups and spoons (Panukat) For precise measurements
- Sharp knife (kutsilyo) For slicing bananas and leche flan
- Cutting board (Tablas) For preparation work
Ingredients
- 2 cups coco jam Coconut jam/Matamis na bao
- ⅓ cup water Tubig
- 2 ripe saba bananas or regular bananas Saging na saba, diced small
- 8 tablespoons macapuno coconut sport strings/Bukayo
- 8 cups shaved ice Yelong durog
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 llanera leche flan
- Optional: Calamansi rind for garnish
Instructions
- Start by making your caramelized bananas. Pour 2 cups of coco jam and ⅓ cup water into a saucepan. Heat this mixture over medium heat (katamtamang init, 180°C/350°F) until it starts to bubble, which takes about 3 minutes. Once bubbling, turn off the heat and add your diced bananas. Stir everything together gently, then pour this mixture into a bowl and let it cool completely.
- While waiting for your banana mixture to cool, slice your leche flan into portions and prepare your shaved ice. Once your bananas have cooled to room temperature, you can start building your halo-halo.
- Take your serving glass and spoon 2 tablespoons of the cooled caramelized bananas into the bottom. Add a tablespoon of macapuno strings on top of the bananas. Now fill your glass with about 2 cups of finely shaved ice, packing it down gently. Pour evaporated milk generously over the ice until it seeps through to the bottom. Place three slices of leche flan on top of the ice. If you'd like, grate some fresh calamansi rind over the flan for extra flavor.
- Serve your halo-halo right away while the ice is still frozen. When you're ready to eat, mix everything together to combine all the flavors (Haluin ang lahat ng sangkap).
Tips from Lola's Kitchen
- Use extremely ripe saba bananas for natural sweetness
- Chill serving glasses beforehand for slower ice melting
- Shave ice as finely as possible for the authentic texture
- Don't skimp on the evaporated milk
- Keep components cold until assembly
- Make leche flan a day ahead for better texture
Nutrition
Calories: 385kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 7gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 120mgPotassium: 191mgFiber: 2gSugar: 65gVitamin A: 151IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 180mgIron: 1mg
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