Guava Jelly (Printable Version)

Vibrant preserve made from ripe guavas, ideal for toast, cookies, and dessert garnishes.

# What You Need:

→ Fruit

01 - 3.3 lbs ripe guavas, quartered with skins and seeds intact
02 - 4 cups water

→ Sweetener & Gelling

03 - 4 cups granulated sugar
04 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

# How-to Steps:

01 - Wash guavas thoroughly under running water. Cut into quarters, preserving skins and seeds.
02 - Place guava quarters in a large saucepan, add 4 cups water, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
03 - Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes until fruit is completely soft and begins to break down.
04 - Line a large strainer with double-layered cheesecloth set over a bowl. Pour cooked fruit and liquid into strainer. Allow to drip undisturbed for at least 2 hours or overnight without pressing to maintain clarity.
05 - Measure extracted juice and pour into a clean saucepan. For each cup of juice, add 1 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Stir well.
06 - Bring mixture to a rolling boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar completely. Continue boiling rapidly for 15-20 minutes until mixture reaches gel stage at 220°F on a candy thermometer. Skim foam as it rises.
07 - Place a small spoonful of jelly on a cold plate. If it wrinkles when pushed with a finger, gel stage is achieved.
08 - Pour hot jelly into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace from the rim. Seal immediately with lids.
09 - Allow jars to cool completely at room temperature. Store in a cool, dark place until opened.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The entire kitchen smells like tropical perfume for hours, which honestly beats any candle you could buy.
  • Once you taste homemade guava jelly, the store-bought versions feel impossibly bland by comparison.
02 -
  • Pressing or squeezing the fruit through the strainer in a misguided rush will give you cloudy jelly instead of that gorgeous transparent jewel tone, so truly let it drip on its own time.
  • Slightly underripe guavas contain more natural pectin, which means your jelly might set with less cooking time, so keep your candy thermometer handy and trust the 220°F mark over guesswork.
03 -
  • If your jelly doesn't set properly, you can always reheat it, add a splash more lemon juice for extra pectin, and try again—failure is just jelly sauce waiting to become a glaze.
  • Store opened jars in the refrigerator and use within three weeks, but properly sealed unopened jars keep for up to a year in a cool dark place.
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