Guava Duff

Name: Guava Duff
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 14
Cuisine: Bahamas
Ingredients: All-purpose flour — 2 cups (250 g); Baking powder — 1 tbsp; Salt — 1/4 tsp; Butter, softened — 3 tbsp; Milk — 3/4 cup (180 ml); Guava pulp, seeded and mashed (fresh or canned) — 1.5 cups (300 g); Sugar, for the filling — 1/4 cup (50 g); Butter, for the sauce — 1/2 cup (115 g); Brown sugar, for the sauce — 1 cup (200 g); Dark rum — 1/4 cup (60 ml); Water — 1/4 cup (60 ml)

The Quirky Foodster Team

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30 min

Prep

1 hr 15 min

Cook

Servings

Ingredients

All-purpose flour — 2 cups (250 g)
Baking powder — 1 tbsp
Salt — 1/4 tsp
Butter, softened — 3 tbsp
Milk — 3/4 cup (180 ml)
Guava pulp, seeded and mashed (fresh or canned) — 1.5 cups (300 g)
Sugar, for the filling — 1/4 cup (50 g)
Butter, for the sauce — 1/2 cup (115 g)
Brown sugar, for the sauce — 1 cup (200 g)
Dark rum — 1/4 cup (60 ml)
Water — 1/4 cup (60 ml)

Method

Whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Rub in softened butter until crumbly.
Stir in milk to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 1 cm (1/2 in) thick.
Mix guava pulp with sugar for the filling. Spread evenly over the dough, leaving a small border.
Roll the dough tightly into a log, starting from a long edge; pinch the seam to seal.
Wrap the roll in cheesecloth or foil, tying the ends loosely to allow expansion.
Steam the wrapped roll over simmering water for 60-75 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
For the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan, stir in brown sugar and water, and simmer 3-4 minutes until syrupy. Remove from heat and stir in rum.
Unwrap the duff, slice thickly, and serve warm with sauce poured over each slice.

Introduction: The Bahamas’ most iconic dessert, guava duff is a steamed guava-filled roll served in thick slices with a warm, buttery rum sauce poured over the top.

Cultural Background: The Bahamas’ most iconic dessert, guava duff is a steamed guava-filled roll served in thick slices with a warm, buttery rum sauce poured over the top. Once made only with wild guava, it remains a celebration centrepiece today.

Tips: Wrap loosely enough to let the roll expand during steaming, or it may split or become dense.

Variations: Some cooks steam the duff in a pudding basin instead of rolling it, resulting in a more cake-like texture.

Vegetarian/Vegan: Naturally vegetarian as written.

Storage: Wrap cooled duff tightly and refrigerate up to 3 days; store sauce separately.

Reheating: Steam slices briefly or microwave 20-30 seconds; gently rewarm sauce on the stovetop before serving.

Nutrition: Approx. 380 kcal, 4 g protein, 58 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat per serving.

FAQs:

Q: Can I use canned guava if fresh isn’t available?

A: Yes, canned guava shells or pulp work well — just drain excess syrup before using.

Q: Can I make this without alcohol?

A: Yes, replace the rum with an equal amount of water plus 1/2 tsp rum extract, or omit entirely for a plain butter sauce.