Guava Tart Recipe, Caribbean-Inspired Vanilla, Guava and Ricotta Cheese Dessert

I am sure that anybody that knows and love guava will greatly enjoy a piece of this creamy vanilla, ricotta cheese and guava tart. As a denizen of a Caribbean piece of paradise I feel as if I am legally required to love all fresh guava dessert recipes in all their fragrant, sweet glory.

Why I ❤️ it • Recipe • Ingredients • Preparation

Why I ❤️ it

I love guava, it is a reminder of the bounty of the tropics, and this recipe is inspired by our custom of eating guava paste with cheese. I had this idea going around my head for a long, long time. Until I went through a cheesecake stage and just made it. This dessert was a huge success with my cheesecake-loving friends.

A layer of crispy pie shell filled with creamy, vanilla ricotta cheesecake, and topped with a guava-custard-like layer of fragrant guava paste. The recipe gives you the choice to make everything from scratch, or make your life easier by buying some of it pre-made.

Utensils and tools

• Medium saucepan
• Medium mesh strainer
• Blender
• 9" pie pan with removable bottom
• Oven

Ingredients

To make the guava paste

• 3 pounds of [1.4 kilogram] of guava fruit
• ¾ cup sugar (white, granulated)

To make the crust

• 8 ounces [0.7 kilogram] of Graham crackers
• ⅓ stick, (0.20 pound [85.05 grams]) of salted butter, at room temperature

To make the ricotta filling

• 2 cups of ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs (medium)
• 1 ½ cup of condensed milk
• 1 vanilla pod (or 1 tablespoon of clear vanilla extract)

Preparation

Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.

Step 1

To make the guava paste, wash the guavas and cut them into halves. Scoop the seed balls from the shells. Set aside the shells.

Mix the seeds with a 1 ½ quart [1.5 liter] of water and the sugar. Simmer over low heat until the liquid has reduced to a third.

Step 2

Sieve to remove the seeds. Add the guava shells to the liquid. Simmer over low heat until the liquid has further reduced to half.

Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Step 3

Mix in a blender until there are no clumps. Return to the heat and simmer stirring over low heat until it becomes very thick.

Remove from the heat and set it aside.

Step 4

To make the crust, place the chilled butter and graham crackers in the food processor and pulse until it resembles wet sand.

Pour it into the pie form. Press on the bottom and sides to form an even crust. Chill in the fridge for an hour. Once 30 minutes have passed, pre-heat oven to 300 ºF [150 ºC] and proceed with the next step.

Step 5

To make the ricotta cheesecake filling, open the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a paring knife.

In the blender vase or food processor bowl, combine ricotta, vanilla seeds and condensed milk, blend to combine. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly. Pour the ricotta mix into the chilled crust.

Step 6

Bake for 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven, cover with the guava jam, and let it cool to room temperature covered with a clean tea towel. Once cooled, chill for at least 6 hours before serving, preferably overnight.

Variations

If you don't have guava, or want to save some time, you can buy guava paste and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir in 3 tablespoons of water instead of making the guava paste at home.

Another way to make guava paste suggested by a commenter in Europe: buy canned guava shells in syrup, blend, and then reduce by simmering over low heat until it has a jelly-like consistency. I have not tested this one, but I am pretty sure it does work. She also suggested adding a bit of lime juice to "brighten" the flavor.

You can also buy a pre-made pie shell, and also save some time if you wish.

The same recipe, minus the guava paste, works wonderfully as a strawberry tart, use store-bought strawberry jelly for the top layer instead of using guava paste for another great version.

Top tips

Please remember, the recipe calls for sweetened condensed milk, the sticky, thick kind with sugar added.

Allow plenty of time to make your fresh guava topping. Separating seed ball from fruit, then straining the reduced liquid into the cut up fruit and reheating then blending takes a long time.

I made the sauce topping the day before and assembled the dessert the next day.
Then you must chill dessert preferably overnight. This may be a two day process if you make everything from scratch!

Don't be impatient, let the pie chill thoroughly before serving. I made that mistake the first time and, while it tasted equally glorious, the consistency was too mushy for my taste.

While it says it yields 6 portions atop, you can serve 8 nice slices too. If you cut the guava tart into eighths, each slices will have 615 calories instead.

Nutritional information

Calories: 820kcal - Carbohydrates: 131g - Protein: 24g - Fat: 25g - Saturated Fat: 14g - Cholesterol: 127mg - Sodium: 351mg - Potassium: 1352mg - Fiber: 13g - Sugar: 97g - Vitamin A: 2015IU - Vitamin C: 519.8mg - Calcium: 510mg - Iron: 2.1mg

FAQs

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