Cherry Guava & Apple Crumble

My Cherry Guava is still dripping with fruit and there’s only so much cordial I can drink – even with vodka. I came up with an apple and cherry guava crumble which is pretty damn delicious. The recipe is a basic apple crumble – the difference is the cherry guava pulp poured over the apples. The taste difference is quite marked – piquant with a mildly mouth puckering tartness – and the colour is beautiful, the guavas turn the apples pale pink.

 To make the cherry guava pulp:

One colander full of cherry guavas

Two tablespoons of sugar

One cup of water

Place all the ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to the boil.

Boil until soft and mushy, about 20 minutes.

Keep stirring to make sure it doesn’t stick or boil dry, add more water if needed. It should be a thick, pulpy mass.

Strain through a sieve to get rid of all pips and skins.

You should be left with a gorgeous, thick, pink pulpy liquid.

Apple Crumble Recipe

Crumble

300 grams plain flour

175 grams unrefined brown sugar (any sugar will do)

200 grams butter, softened at room temperature

Filling

450 grams apple peeled, cored and cut into pieces. (Tinned is way easier and works fine too)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon plain flour

Couple of cloves

Pinch of cinnamon

Method

Pre-heat oven to 180C

Make the crumble by combining the flour and sugar in a large bowl, add the butter in small cubes, rub into the flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Place the apples in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour, cloves and cinnamon. Stir well being careful not to break up the fruit.

Grease a 24cm ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then pour over the cherry guava pulp. Sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.

Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.

Pink pulp bubbles to surface

The pink pulp will bubble to the surface in parts, see pic.

Serve, either hot or cold, with thick cream.

Cherry Guava Cordial

My Cherry Guava tree

We’ve had a long hot summer and my Cherry Guava has never had such an abundant crop. Native to Brazil, the tree probably ended up in the back corner of my garden via a bird dropping, and it has thrived in our Mediterranean climate.

The flesh is juicy and believed to have the finest flavour of any guava, making it ideal for jams and cordials. This cordial recipe is simple to make and delicious – perfect with mineral or soda water, and really sublime when added to Vodka and tonic. 

I make a small batch at a time, refrigerate the syrup, and use it within two to three days.  

   

Pick a bowl full of fruit, I use a colander. Place in a large saucepan, add enough water to just cover the fruit, and boil for 45mins until the fruit is soft and mushy.

 

 

   

Place a muslin lined sieve into a large bowl and pour the liquid and fruit into the sieve.

Tie the muslin into a bundle, remove the sieve, hang the bundle with the bowl underneath it,  leave to drain for 30 mins.

Tie, hang, and drain into a bowl for 30mins

Vodka, tonic and Cherry Guava

Put the liquid back into the  saucepan using a cup (for measuring). Add up to a quarter  cup of sugar for every cup of liquid – it’s quite sweet with a quarter cup and tastes sharper and more tart the less sugar you use.

Bring back to the boil, stirring all the time, until the sugar has disolved. Pour into a jug or bottle, leave to cool, and then refrigerate.

Use within 2 to 3 days. Mix using 1 part codial for 4 parts water. Add a dash, according to taste, to Vodka and tonic.