Red Cherry Guavas
It is cherry guava time of year again. Previously I’ve made cherry guava jelly and cherry guava cordial but it wasn’t until I was reading up on quince recipes that I realized that I could make cherry guava paste with the flesh that I have just discarded before.
I had a bumper crop of red cherry guavas this year and picked and froze them over several weeks until I had a large bag full.
Put cherry guavas into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender.
Cherry Guava paste, jelly and cordial
I had so many guavas that I was able to make both cherry guava jelly and cherry guava cordial with the liquid. But this post is about making Cherry Guava Paste.
Transfer the guava flesh and seeds from the jelly bag into a large sieve (you may need to do this in several batches). Push the guava flesh through the sieve with a spoon until you have just seeds left in the sieve.
Put on a very low heat and stirr every now again for several hours until it starts to thicken up and come away from the sides of the pot.
Spread into sandwich tin lined with baking paper. Leave lightly covered to firm up for a day or two (you can put it into an oven on fan-bake without heat or at approx 50C to help the drying process). Cut into squares. You could put the paste into individual molds if you preferred.
Delicious served with a cheese board.
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- Cover guavas with water
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- Boil until softened
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- Strain through a jelly bag
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- Use liquid for jelly and cordial
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- Use fruit pulp for paste
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- Push pulp through sieve
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- Measure pulp
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- Add 1/2-3/4 cup sugar per cup pulp
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- Heat gently, stirring
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- Until thickened
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- Put into tray lined with paper
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- Cut into squares
hi there,
thank you for providing recipes for this fruit, it is beyond impossible to find them on the net.
How long does the paste last in the fridge?
also, have you tried making a vinegarette with cherry guava or do you think this could be done with your cordial recipe and then make as an needed vinegarette afterwards with the cordial?
thanks so much,
Zoe
I’m so glad you found the recipes useful :-). I kept the dried paste in an airtight container and the little I have left is still fine 18 months later.
I haven’t tried a vinegarette – but great idea to just use the cordial as needed or you could mash up some cherry guava and put them in vinegar for a few days (see my raspberry vinegar recipe).
Let me know how you get on.
wonderful, thanks so much for your help.
I will try this weekend and hope to let you know how it goes.
Zoe 🙂
Me again.. 🙂 how long would you put the paste in the oven for? We have a dehydrator and was thinking of putting it in there to help.
The amount of time will depend on how ‘wet’ the mix is but certainly several hours. I think a dehydrator would be a great idea.
Hello
Just found your recipes, thanks for sharing them my Cherry Gaura tree is laden this year so keen to do something with them! Would I be able to ask where you got your jelly bag from please as it looks sturdy
I bought my jelly strainer years ago – not sure where I got it sorry. There seem to be lots of stockists for the Dexham Jam & jelly strainer that looks similar.
Thanks for all the great guava recipes! I discovered by accident, if the paste does set firm, it makes great filling for homemade shewsberry biscuits 🙂
Oh what a great idea! Thanks for sharing that.