Guava jelly

Bocadillo with leaf packaging

Guava jelly (Spanish: bocadillo (de guayaba), ("guava snack"), is a Colombian confectionery made with guava pulp and panela, which is consumed abundantly throughout Colombia, one of the largest guava producers in the world. The town of Vélez, Santander Department, is a major centre of production for the sweet and gives it the alternative name "bocadillo Veleño".^[1]

In Venezuela, the form of consumption is similar to that of Colombia, where the product is called "conserva". In Venezuela it can be of guava, coco, banana etc.

Bocadillo is commonly accompanied by cheese, spread upon bread,^[2] or simply eaten on its own. It most often takes the form of a small rectangular block, with a firm consistency and a deep red colour, giving it a similar appearance to the related Spanish dessert dulce de membrillo. Another dessert closely related to bocadillo is the Brazilian goiabada, also made from guava.

In 2006, the bocadillo veleño was nominated for the cultural symbol for Colombia in the contest organized by a magazine, Semana.^[3]

Preparation

Bocadillo is prepared much like other conserves, jams, and jellies. The guavas are first washed and peeled before being mashed into a pulp, which is strained to remove seeds.

The pulp is then boiled in water along with panela or refined sugar at a low temperature for several hours until the mixture has a thick consistency. The liquid is left to cool off to make it be moulded into blocks. It gets its characteristic firm texture once it is fully cooled.^[1][4]

Bocadillo de guayaba is traditionally individually wrapped in the leaves of the bijao (calathea lutea) to preserve it and to enhance its flavour.

See also

• Quince cheese

References