Luscious Thick Guava Preserves (Print Version)

Sweet tropical guava spread perfect for toast, cheese pairings, and desserts with aromatic texture.

# Components:

→ Fruit

01 - 1.5 kg ripe guavas, approximately 10-12 medium guavas

→ Sweetener

02 - 3.5 cups granulated sugar

→ Acidity

03 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

→ Water

04 - 1 cup water

# Method:

01 - Wash guavas thoroughly under running water. Cut into quarters and remove seeds with a spoon, preserving as much flesh as possible.
02 - Place guava flesh and water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until fruit is completely soft.
03 - Mash softened guavas using a potato masher or briefly blend for smoother texture. Press mixture through a fine sieve or food mill to remove remaining seeds and obtain smooth pulp.
04 - Return pulp to saucepan. Add sugar and lemon juice. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.
05 - Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens to jam-like consistency, approximately 35-45 minutes.
06 - Place small amount of preserve on a chilled plate. If mixture wrinkles when gently pushed, it has reached proper setting point.
07 - Skim off foam as needed. Pour hot preserves into sterilized glass jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal jars immediately.
08 - Allow jars to cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 3 months, or process in boiling water bath for extended shelf life.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It transforms humble guavas into something luxurious enough to serve with fancy cheese boards, making you look far more sophisticated than the effort requires.
  • Unlike store-bought preserves, this tastes unmistakably tropical and alive, with a texture you can actually control depending on your mood.
  • Once you nail this technique, you'll realize you can apply it to any fruit sitting in your kitchen, which feels like unlocking a secret superpower.
02 -
  • The preserve thickens more as it cools, so if you take it off the heat just slightly before it feels perfectly set, you'll wake up the next morning to exactly the consistency you wanted rather than something stiff enough to break your spoon.
  • Those sterilized jars aren't just for show—boiling them beforehand (or running them through the dishwasher on the hottest cycle) actually prevents mold and keeps your preserve edible for months, a lesson I learned the hard way after losing an entire batch.
03 -
  • If your jam doesn't set as firmly as you'd hoped, don't panic—stir in a teaspoon of powdered pectin mixed with a tablespoon of water, bring it back to a boil for one minute, and you'll often salvage it into something perfect.
  • Leaving some guava chunks folded in after sieving creates a preserve with visual interest and slight texture variation that feels intentional and special rather than uniformly smooth and commercial-looking.
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