This month, The Food In Jars Mastery Challenge was cold pack preserving. I should have made my bottled guavas the day we got back from overseas so that I could try them out before I posted the recipe. But, instead I only made them yesterday. I know that the method has worked so please pop back in to see how they taste.
Head straight on to the Recipe For Bottled Guavas ♥
Going on holiday with friends can always be a tricky thing. We recently spent a week on a barge with another couple. Strangely enough, we have never even spent a weekend away as a foursome. Dave, Eric and I go away a few times a year together for motor racing. The subject of a barge trip came up as a joke and I decided that it was actually a great idea. We planned the trip over a couple of months. Dave chose the route, and Bev chose the barge. It was very spacious, with luxuries Dave and I have not enjoyed on other trips. One of the features was a proper double bed in the bow. That meant no crawling over your partner in the middle of the night as you could get in and out from either side.
Today’s inspiration ♥ Recipe For Bottled Guavas ♥ can be found on Lavender and Lime Share on X
Dave and I had the berth in the stern, with two single beds that were pushed together. The bed was then just off centre in the room which was extremely spacious. The thing about a barge is that space is at a premium. And when there are four of you on-board, you don’t want to feel like you are tightly packed in. The galley was fairly compact, with space only for one person to be working in the kitchen at a time. This worked out quite well as Dave did the cooking and Bev did the dishes. We had a decent amount of space in the dining room / lounge and not once did I feel cramped when sitting at the table. This barge will be the one we take on our next trip, which we are already planning together.
Bottled Guavas
Now, the opposite holds when bottling fruit. You want to make sure they are packed in tightly together. I have used one of the Ball pint jars which took 4 whole guavas. Please adjust the quantity of guavas you use to suit the preserving jar you use.
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Bottled Guavas
Ingredients
- 300 mls water
- 4 guavas, quartered
- 125 g fructose
- 2.5 cm root ginger, thinly sliced
- 125 mls sweet white wine or honey liqueur
Method
- Place the water into a sauce pan and bring to the boil
- Blanch the guavas and place into a mason jar
- Add the fructose and ginger to the water and stir until the fructose has dissolved
- Bring back to the boil and leave to boil for 1 minute
- Remove from the heat and set aside to cool
- Pour the wine into the jar and fill to just under the brim with the sugar syrup *
- Screw the lid onto the jar and place into a large pot
- Cover with cold water to submerge the jar
- Bring the water to 55° Celsius on a low to medium temperature
- Increase the temperature slightly and heat the water to 82° Celsius
- Maintain this temperature for 15 minutes
- Remove the jar from the water and leave until cold
- Check the seal and leave in a cool, dark cupboard for 3 weeks
- Refrigerate once open or store unopened for 6 months
Notes
Inspiration published on Lavender and Lime May 22:
- 2014 – Trail Mix Rusks
- 2013 – Rustic Basil Pesto Pasta
- 2010 – The Challenge Bake a Soufflé
This really seems like a great idea. I have never though that I can preserve guavas, Tandy!
Hope you try the recipe Agness 🙂
That sounds like such a great trip!! And those guavas look incredible! I wish I could find them easier here!
Isn’t is strange that you don’t get guavas there. Are they grown anywhere in the US?
Hi Tandy, always wanted to travel on a barge, heard so many wonderful things. how cool that you preserved guavas, they look wonderful. I preserved pineapple and am working on that post today.
Wow, that sounds so interesting! Looking forward to your post 🙂
This is pretty amazing. I’ve never even heard of bottled guavas!
Thanks, I just used what was in season 🙂
Like the sound of the guavas and the trip!
The trip was amazing 🙂
Interesting to read about your barge trip, Tandy. Sounds like a great holiday. The bottling recipe sounds super – could any fruit be used like pears or apples?
I am not sure how the apples would turn out – something for me to try in the future. But it would be great for pears, peaches and apricots 🙂
Well, I wish we had guavas but I can only come as close as guava juice! The barge trip sounds lovely. It’s always great when you can find friends that you get along with as travel partners!
I wonder where the guavas come from for the juice you get?
Sounds like a good holiday with friends. I’m glad the guavas were packed more tightly though 🙂
Me too 😉
I have never had Bottled Guavas, these look awesome.
Thanks Anu 🙂
So glad the foursome trip went well, you never know with new people how it will go. Wow guava is a great pci for this recipe.
We have known them a long time so we were safe on that aspect 🙂
Wow. What a treat it would be to pull out a bottle of guavas! Thanks Tandy.
My pleasure Tammy 🙂