Pantry
Guava paste
Also called goiabada, pasta de guayaba, guava cheese, bocadillo
A dense, sliceable block of guava pulp cooked down with sugar until it sets. Deep pink-red, sweet, and slightly grainy from the fruit.
Origin
Iberian quince-paste methods applied to guava across Latin America and the Caribbean. Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and Mexico all make it; most tins and blocks sold abroad are Brazilian or Colombian.
Flavour
Floral, musky guava under a lot of sugar, with a little tartness if the brand is good.
How it is made
Guava pulp is sieved, cooked with roughly equal sugar and sometimes pectin until thick, then set in moulds or tins.
How to use it
Slice it with salty cheese, melt it with a splash of water into a glaze or filling, or spread it softened over pastry dough for guava duff.
Storage
Unopened it keeps for a year or more in the pantry. Once cut, wrap it and refrigerate; it will keep for months.
