Filipino Shaved Ice Dessert

Ingredients

• For the Saba Bananas in Syrup (Minatamis na Saging):
• 2 cups (475ml) water
• 5 1/2 ounces granulated sugar (3/4 cup; 155g)
• 2 Saba bananas (225g), peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices on a bias (see note)
• For the Jackfruit in Syrup (Minatamis na Langka):
• 3/4 cup (175ml) water
• 2 3/4 ounces granulated sugar (1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons; 80g)
• 4 ounces (115g) ripe jackfruit, cut into 1/2-inch thick strips (see note)
• For the Tapioca Pearls in Syrup (Sago):
• 2 quarts (1.9L) water
• 1 ounce (3 tablespoons; 30g) large white tapioca pearls
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup; 170g) dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pandan extract (see note)
• For Assembling the Halo-Halo: 
• Scant 1 cup (120g) ice cubes
• 1 ounce evaporated milk (2 tablespoons; 30g) 
• Other add-ins, as desired
• 1-inch square leche flan
• 2-ounce scoop ube ice cream

Directions

1. For the Saba Bananas in Syrup (Minatamis na Saging): In a 2-quart saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add bananas and lower heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook until syrup has slightly reduced, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to heatproof medium bowl (you should have about 2 1/2 cups; 650g), and let cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. Clean saucepan.
2. For the Jackfruit in Syrup (Minatamis na Langka): In now-clean saucepan, add water and sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add jackfruit and lower heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook until syrup has slightly reduced and thickened in consistency, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Transfer to an airtight container (you should have about 1 cup; 285g) and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. 
3. For the Tapioca Pearls in Syrup (Sago): In a 4-quart saucepan, bring water to a boil over high heat. Add tapioca pearls and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom, until tapioca pearls have started to become translucent, about 30 minutes. Add sugar and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until tapioca pearls are translucent and chewy, about 20 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large heatproof bowl; return strained sugar-water mixture to saucepan. Rinse tapioca pearls under cold running water; set aside.
4. Bring sugar-water mixture in saucepan to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to maintain a simmer and cook until reduced by roughly half, about 15 minutes. Stir in pandan extract. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Combine tapioca pearls and syrup in an airtight container (you should have about 3 cups; 725g total) and refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours.  
5. To Assemble Halo-Halo: In a blender or ice shaver, blend ice until small and fine in texture. In a tall, 12-ounce glass, add half of the ice, then add 2 tablespoons each of Saba bananas, jackfruit, and tapioca pearls, and other add-ins of your choice, except leche flan and ube ice cream, until glass is 3/4 full. Top with remaining ice, evaporated milk, leche flan, and ube ice cream. Serve immediately with a long handle spoon. 

Special Equipment

2- and 4-quart saucepan, ice shaver or blender, 12-ounce tall glass

Make-ahead and Storage

Saba bananas in syrup, jackfruit in syrup, and tapioca pearls in syrup can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated in separate airtight containers for up to 3 weeks.