Cascos de guayaba

Ingredients

Guava

• 12firm ripe guavas
• water, for the first boil

Syrup

• 500 gsugar
• 750 mlwater
• 2cinnamon sticks
• the peel of 1 lime, in strips
• 1 teaspoonvanilla
• a pinch of salt

To serve

• queso blanco or queso fresco
• or cream cheese
• crackers, optional

Directions

1. Use guavas that are ripe but still firm. They should smell strongly and give a little. Wash the guavas and cut off the ends. Cut each one in half across the middle. Leave a shell about one centimetre thick. Do not scoop so deep that you break through.
2. Set the shells aside as you go. Keep the scooped centres in a bowl. Some cooks peel the guavas and some do not. Put the shells in a pot of water. Bring it to a boil and cook for ten minutes.
3. Drain them carefully so they do not break. Put the sugar and water in a wide pan. Add the cinnamon sticks and lime peel. Take only the coloured zest without the pith. Heat it gently until the sugar dissolves. Stir it as it heats so nothing settles.
4. Let it cook for ten minutes on its own. Set them cut side up if you can. Keep the syrup at a bare simmer. Never let it boil hard at any point. Let them poach for about forty minutes.
5. Turn them once carefully halfway through. Judging when they are done takes a look. Stir in the vanilla and the pinch of salt. Let them cool completely in the syrup. They take up more syrup as they cool.
6. Put them in a jar with all the syrup. Keep the jar in the refrigerator. They keep for two weeks that way.
7. Set two or three shells on a small plate. Spoon plenty of syrup over them. Cut a thick slice of white cheese alongside. Take a piece of cheese with each piece of guava.

Technique

• The pairing of sweet preserved fruit with a slice of salty fresh white cheese is standard across Cuba and ends most meals.
• The scooped seedy centres are not wasted and are strained for juice or made into jelly.

Substitutions

• Tinned guava shells in syrup are widely sold and are what many households use.
• Cream cheese stands in for queso blanco and is now very common.

Variations

• Some cooks peel the guavas and some leave the skin on.
• A version with star anise in the syrup is made in some households.
• The same method is used for mango, papaya and orange peel.

History

A Spanish colonial preserve method applied to guava; the pairing of sweet fruit and salty fresh cheese is standard across Cuba.

Frequently asked questions

What is Cascos de guayaba?

Cascos de guayaba is a dessert from Cuba: guava shells poached in syrup, served with white cheese. A Spanish colonial preserve method applied to guava; the pairing of sweet fruit and salty fresh cheese is standard across Cuba.

How long does Cascos de guayaba take to make?

Cascos de guayaba takes 30 minutes of preparation and 1 hour of cooking. The recipe makes serves 8. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Cascos de guayaba?

Yes, within limits. Tinned guava shells in syrup are widely sold and are what many households use. Cream cheese stands in for queso blanco and is now very common.

What is the most important thing to get right in Cascos de guayaba?

Use guavas that are ripe but still firm. They should smell strongly and give a little. Wash the guavas and cut off the ends. Cut each one in half across the middle. Leave a shell about one centimetre thick. Do not scoop so deep that you break through.