Homemade Guava Paste

I love making things from scratch!  It may be too much work for a lot of people but I get a different kind of excitement just knowing I whipped my own butter; made my own jam; my own salad dressing or even made artisanal bread.  Hence I kind of regret making my own guava paste a little late in my foodie life.  I think of all the guavas offered to me which I refused in the past.  Well, I like them firm and crunchy and not when they start to soften and that strong aroma would persist to come out no matter how tightly you wrap the fruit in a thick brown bag.  But not anymore!  There are delicious things I can make out of this fruit- starting from guava paste which I came to love thanks to Karen.  And so, here comes my first homemade guava paste!

 

GUAVA PASTE - GUAYABATE

Recipe adapted here

INGREDIENTS:

Guavas, peeled, approximately 3/4 to 1-1/4 pounds (10–18 guavas)
Water, approximately 1 cup per pound of guavas
Sugar, approximately 2 cups (more or less)

PREPARATION:

·         Cut guavas in half and scoop out seeds. Soak seeds in half of the water.

·         Peel guava halves, cut into chunks, and place in a saucepan with the remaining water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until guava is very soft—stirring often to prevent burning and sticking—then remove from heat (approximately 30 minutes).

·         Strain the water from the seeds (it will be slightly gelatinous), and stir in with the cooked guavas. Discard seeds.

·         Grind the guava through a food mill and measure the pulp. Add an equal amount of sugar, mix, and place in a large heavy saucepan over low heat. ( I used a blender and just pour it through a sieve)

·         Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture is thick and a little jelly tested on an ice cube can be lifted off in one piece (around 20 minutes).

·         Remove from heat and beat with a wooden spoon for 10 minutes or until the mixture forms a heavy paste.

·         Turn out into a loaf pan or small, square casserole pan lined with wax paper, and set in a cool place for 24 hours.

·         To store, turn the paste out of the pan and wrap it securely in foil. Keep cool.

Yields approximately 1 to 1-1/2 cups of guava paste. Prep time, 10 minutes; cook time, approximately 1 hour. While time-intensive, the resulting treat is worth the effort!

And here’s the fruit of my labor- yummy guava paste Miami style (as one commented on my Instagram post).  I served it with Double Cream Gouda Cheese and was devoured by my GP’s.  No way am I going to refuse those guavas anymore.  Can’t wait for the next season! For sure my kitchen will be really busy.