By Alma Wendy Yu

Chocolate moron (please pronounce this with the stress on the second syllable to prevent raised eyebrows) is to Leyte what dried mango is to Cebu. Alongside binagol and suman latik, chocolate moron is a popular pasalubong item from Leyte. These sweet logs are delicacies made of ground-up glutinous rice, coconut milk, and cocoa powder for that chocolatey taste, all wrapped delicately in banana leaves before being steamed. Although it is produced all over Leyte, you can find a lot of them in Tacloban, and even in the neighboring island of Cebu (although prices are higher outside of Leyte).

When a family friend visits, she would often bring chocolate moron from her hometown Abuyog, Leyte. This Leyte municipality is found south of Tacloban City, a 1.5 hour drive. For a longer shelf life, we’d freeze them and steam as needed. Before eating, they are steamed for about 10 to 15 minutes or until they are heated through and soft. But on a lazy day, I’d eat them slightly frozen and they are surprisingly better (for me, at least). It reminds me of a very dense ice cream. The inspiration of making it into ice cream came from this. How you’d have your chocolate moron will depend on your preference, of course. 

Recipe: 

Chocolate Moron Ice Cream with Puffed Rice

Disclaimer: Commercial ice creams are prepared differently and contain more ingredients. The ice cream base used in this recipe is a shortcut I learned a few years ago from watching tutorial videos. Sweetness can be adjusted by adding or reducing the condensed milk. This recipe can be whipped up easily at home without using an ice cream machine. The texture will be a bit different from store-bought ice cream.

Ingredients

Ice cream base:

300 whipping cream, chilled

150g condensed milk, divided

Flavor and variation:

160g chocolate moron (about four pieces, depending on the size), steamed and soft

150g puffed rice

(You can use store-bought rice crispies or, to be in-line with the “native delicacy” theme, you can use crushed ampaw or ampao. These are Filipino puffed rice that can be found in Leyte as well. If you can make your own puffed rice, that can work too.)

Method:

1. Assuming you have frozen chocolate moron on hand, re-steam until heated through. It would be a softer and easier mash.
2. In a bowl, place three chocolate moron and mash with a spatula or wooden spoon until you have a paste. Cut up the fourth chocolate moron into smaller pieces. 
3. Add in about 70g of condensed milk and mix using a handheld mixer. Incorporate well and set aside.
4. In another bowl, place whipping cream and whip until firm peaks. 
5. Add in the remaining condensed milk. Fold gently using a spatula.
6. Put half of the mixture with the chocolate moron, and fold in gently.
7. Add in puffed rice into the remaining whipped cream.
8. Prepare a freezer-safe tub. Alternately scoop the two mixtures into the tub, place them side by side so a scoop of ice cream can have both mixtures, just like how a chocolate moron would have white and brown color.
9. Place the cut up chocolate moron in between scoops. Leave some to top off.
10. Freeze until solid. 
11. Enjoy with more ampaw.

If ever you want to visit Leyte, make sure to check out the pasalubong centers and get yourself some chocolate moron (among other things) to bring back home. Some variations will include peanuts or cheese bits or both.