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Goiabada cascão
Guava paste with skins
Goiabada cascão: chunky guava paste cooked with the skins until dark, firm and sliceable
Ponte Nova and other towns in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais are famous for this rough, dark guava paste, stirred for hours in big copper pans over wood fires until it is almost brick red and firm enough to cut with a knife. 'Cascão' means it keeps chunks of the skin, so each slice is chewy and fruity rather than smooth. It is the guava in Romeu e Julieta, the filling for countless cakes, and a sweet in its own right after lunch. A heavy stainless-steel pan works at home. The big mistake is cooking over high heat to save time; the sugar catches and turns bitter long before the paste is set, so keep the heat moderate and stir constantly near the end. The paste spits fiercely, so use a long spoon and cover your arm. Chef's tip: test it by dropping a spoonful into a glass of cold water; when it stays in one firm piece, it is ready to pour.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 20
Ingredients
- 4 ⅜ lb ripe red-fleshed guavas
- 2 ¼ lb sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 1 limejuiced
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Wash 4 ⅜ lb ripe red-fleshed guavas, cut off the ends and halve them. Scoop out the seedy centres into a bowl and cut the shells into 1 cm pieces.
Step 2: Blend the seedy centres with ¾ cup water for 30 seconds, then push through a sieve to remove the seeds. Keep the smooth pulp.
Step 4: Cook for 60 minutes, stirring every few minutes with a long wooden spoon, until the pieces of shell are soft and the mixture is thick and deep pink.
60 minStep 5: Lower the heat slightly and cook for a further 40–50 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom, until dark red, very thick and pulling away from the base so you can see the pan for a moment.
45 minStep 6: Check it is ready by dropping a little into cold water: it should stay in one firm lump. Pour into a baking-paper-lined tin or wooden box and smooth the top.
Step 7: Leave uncovered at room temperature for 1–2 days to firm up, then wrap. Store in a cool place for up to 2 months and slice as needed.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does goiabada cascão take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 20 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lime?
- Lemon, same amount.
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