Ube Sherbet – My Childhood Drink Reimagined (Maghreb x Philippines Fusion)

Published: 3 Dec 2025

There are recipes that stay with you forever.For me, sherbet – the creamy, citrusy lemonade served across North Africa – is one of those childhood memories that feels like sunshine in a glass. A simple drink made with freshly squeezed lemon, milk, sugar, and a touch of orange blossom water… served on hot days, after family gatherings, or just because someone felt like spoiling us.Today, I wanted to revisit this nostalgic drink with an ingredient from the other side of the world: ube, the vibrant purple yam from the Philippines that inspires my work at Blubéa. And something magical happens when you bring these two worlds together:when ube meets lemon, it turns pink.Like a little science show inside the glass.With this twist, sherbet becomes a modern mocktail – fresh, floral, creamy, with a stunning ombre pink effect, thanks to ube-infused ice cubes.

Ube Sherbet Mocktail – A Maghreb Classic with a Filipino Twist

Ingredients

Juice of 1 fresh lemon1 tbsp
sugar (adjust to taste)1 tsp
orange blossom water2–3 tbsp
milk (or plant milk) for creaminess
Cold water
1 tsp Blubéa ube powder
Ice cubes (ube-infused – see tip below)

The Magic Trick: Ube Ice Cubes (for the Pink Gradient!)

This is the secret that creates the beautiful color effect.

Mix ½ cup water with ½ tsp ube powder.
Whisk until the color is fully dissolved.
Pour into an ice cube tray.
Freeze for 4–6 hours.

As these purple ice cubes melt into the lemon base, they create a pink gradient, from soft blush to vivid rose. It’s mesmerizing.

How to Make the Ube Sherbet

In a glass, mix together:– fresh lemon juice– sugar– orange blossom water– milk– and a little cold water
Taste and adjust:More milk for smoothness, more lemon for brightness, more orange blossom for floral notes.
Add the ube ice cubes.
Watch the magic unfold:The acidity of the lemon reacts with the ube and transforms the drink into shades of pink, like a sunset swirling in the glass.
Stir gently before drinking

The Result

A drink that is:

fresh and uplifting
slightly tangy but creamy
delicately floral
unique and exotic thanks to the ube
and above all, filled with childhood nostalgia

It’s the sherbet I grew up with… reimagined with a modern twist that reflects my own journey between the Maghreb, France, and the Philippine