Sweet Guava Paste (Printable)

A smooth, fragrant guava paste perfect for pastries, desserts, or pairing with cheese and charcuterie boards.

# What You Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 2.2 pounds ripe guavas, quartered

→ Sweetener

02 - 2.25 cups granulated sugar

→ Acid

03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

→ Liquid

04 - 0.5 cup water

# Directions:

01 - Wash guavas and trim ends. Cut into quarters and remove seeds if desired for smoother paste. Place guava quarters and water in large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes until guavas are tender.
02 - Remove from heat. Press guava pulp through food mill or fine mesh strainer, discarding seeds and skins to create smooth puree.
03 - Measure resulting guava puree. Use approximately 1 cup sugar per 1 cup puree, adjusting based on desired sweetness and fruit yield.
04 - Return guava puree to pot. Add sugar and lemon juice. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 40-50 minutes until mixture thickens and pulls away from pan sides.
05 - When paste is thick, glossy, and holds shape on spoon, pour into parchment-lined loaf pan. Smooth top and cool at room temperature 2-3 hours until firm. Unmold and slice as needed.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms a single ingredient into something that feels fancy enough to gift, but easy enough to make on a lazy afternoon.
  • The paste keeps for months, which means you can make it once and enjoy it sliced with cheese, spread on pastries, or stirred into yogurt whenever the craving hits.
02 -
  • Don't rush the cooking time at the end—a watched pot of guava paste might feel like it's barely changing, but it is. Low heat is your friend here, or you'll end up with scorched edges and a bitter taste.
  • If your paste seems too thick after cooling, you cooked it a bit long; too soft, and you need more time next round. Either way, it's still delicious and you've learned what works for your stove.
03 -
  • A food mill makes the smoothest paste, but if you don't have one, a fine mesh strainer and the back of a spoon work almost as well—just take your time.
  • Some people add a pinch of cinnamon or a vanilla bean to the cooking paste for extra depth; it's a small addition that feels special.
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