Guava Paste Recipe (Colombian Bocadillo)

Bocadillo is a popular Colombian type of candy consisting of the paste of the tropical fruit guava (guayaba in Spanish). The sweet guava paste is shaped into firm, small blocks. You can eat guava paste as candy, with cheese, or as a filling in bread and pastries.

📝 Ingredients

• 600 g ripe guavas ((aprox. 4 medium-sized guavas))
• 500 ml of water ((2.5 cups))
• 450 g white sugar ((2 1/4 cups))
• juice of 1 orange
• sugar, to sprinkle

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Boil guavasPlace whole guavas in a small boiling pot with water. They won't be covered completely. Add lid and boil guavas for 20 minutes. The skin will burst open
2. 2Blend guavasPlace the guavas and cooking liquid/water in a food processor and blend until smooth
3. 3Strain guava mixturePlace a sieve over a boiling pot and strain out the seeds. You might have to use a spoon to press the pulp through the strainer. Discard the seeds
4. 4Add sugar, orange juice and cook for 1 hourAdd sugar and orange juice to the guava mixture. Mix with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and let boil softly for 1 hour. Stir regularly (every 2-3 minutes) to prevent the paste from sticking to the pot and to assure it cooks evenly.The mixture will have a pink color at the beginning, a red-to-orange color halfway, and a red-to-pink color at the end.The consistency will change from liquid to thick and sticky, and being able to see the bottom of the pot when stirring.
5. 5Place in tin and let setPlace the guava paste in a (silicone) baking tin (about 30 x 6 cm; a cake tin). Sprinkle with sugar. Let cool to room temperature. Cover with foil and place in the refrigerator to set overnight/ a couple of hours.Cut in blocks. Serve as candy or with a piece of cheese. Enjoy!