Guava Duff (Bahamian Boiled Guava Pudding)
Local name: Guava duff
In short: A Bahamian steamed roll of sweet dough and guava, sliced and served warm with a rum butter sauce. A classic celebration dessert. It takes about 2 h in total and makes 8 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 2 h
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 370 kcal
Guava duff is the dessert of Bahamian celebrations: a sweet dough rolled around guava, wrapped in foil and steamed until soft, then sliced and served in a warm rum butter sauce. The texture is like a soft jam roly-poly, and the sauce is what makes it. It is served at Sunday dinners and special occasions, and the duff can be steamed a day ahead and sliced to reheat.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the milk to make a soft dough. Knead for 1 minute on a floured counter, then roll into a rectangle about 25 x 30 cm (10 x 12 inches).
- Spread the chopped guava over the dough, leaving a 2 cm (3/4 inch) border. Roll up from a long side like a jelly roll and pinch the seam and ends closed.
- Wrap the roll loosely in parchment and then in buttered foil, leaving room for it to expand. Twist the ends closed.
- Steam on a rack over simmering water for 75 to 90 minutes, topping up the water as needed, until the duff is firm and cooked through.
- For the sauce, melt the butter with the sugar in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in the evaporated milk and simmer for 3 minutes, then off the heat stir in the rum and vanilla.
- Unwrap the duff, cool for 10 minutes and cut into thick slices. Serve warm with the sauce poured over.
Tips
- No canned guava? Use 300 g (10.5 oz) firm guava paste, diced, or a thick guava jam. Cook fresh guavas with sugar first to make a filling.
- Leave out the rum for a family-friendly sauce and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. The sauce keeps for 5 days in the fridge.
Questions and answers
Can I make guava duff ahead?
Yes. Steam it a day ahead, cool and refrigerate wrapped. Slice and rewarm in a covered dish in the oven or microwave.
Why is it called a duff?
Duff is an old word for a boiled or steamed pudding made with dough. Guava duff is the Bahamian version, filled with guava.
Can I boil the duff instead of steaming it?
Yes. Wrap it in parchment, then foil and a cloth, tied securely but leaving a little room to expand. Boil it submerged in water for about 90 minutes. Steaming is easier to control.
How long does it take to make Guava Duff (Bahamian Boiled Guava Pudding)?
About 2 h in total: 30 min of preparation and 1 h 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Guava Duff (Bahamian Boiled Guava Pudding)?
About 370 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 53 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 370 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 53 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 29 g |
| Sodium | 280 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
