Green Apple Guavas

I love guava in all its forms, but they can be a hard sell.  When I was in college and brought back guava pastries from home, I could see my friends’ initial enthusiasm for an authentic Cuban indulgence give way to politeness with the first taste.  Rich and sweet, they’re not for everyone.  That’s why I was excited to see a recipe for guava sorbet included in Kate Zuckerman’s The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle, one of my favorite dessert cookbooks.  I’d been looking for guavas all winter, but only found them a few weeks ago during a market tour in Chinatown.  Less fragrant than red or strawberry guavas, I almost passed them by.  Left to ripen for a few days, they made a refreshing sorbet, not at all too rich or sweet by any standard.

Green Apple Guava Sorbet
This recipe is adapted from Kate Zuckerman’s The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle.

1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/4 pounds fresh ripe guavas (approximately 8 fruits)
Juice of 1 lime

Peel the guavas and chop into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.  In a heavy saucepan, bring sugar and 2 cups of water to a boil.  Add the guava to the syrup and lower heat to a simmer.  Stirring every five minutes, simmer until fruit is falling apart and separates from the seeds, about 30-45 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Pass the guava through a fine mesh strainer or food mill into a stainless steel bowl.  Discard seeds and pulps.  Add the lime juice to taste.  Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.  Freeze in ice cream maker per manufacturer’s instructions until firm.  Pour into a freezer safe container and freeze for four hours.

Yields 1 quart churned sorbet.