Guava Duff

Background

Guava Duff is a celebrated Bahamian dessert: a tender, rolled, steamed pudding filled with fragrant guava and served with a velvety butter-rum sauce. Its roots trace to British steamed puddings, adapted in the islands with tropical fruit, warm spices, and a method that relies on a cloth wrap for even, moist cooking. The dough is enriched with unsalted butter, lightly sweetened with granulated sugar, and perfumed by vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. After steaming, the roll is sliced and bathed in a glossy sauce made from more unsalted butter, brown sugar, water, a touch of vanilla extract, and optional dark rum. It is festive, comforting, and deeply tied to home-cooking traditions throughout the Bahamas.

Ingredients

Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe guava (well-drained if canned)

Sauce

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground nutmeg

For steaming

• Plenty of water for the pot
• Pinch of salt for the pot (optional)

Equipment

• Clean cotton kitchen towel or cheesecloth and kitchen twine
• Large pot with a tight lid and a trivet or steamer basket
• Mixing bowls, whisk, and wooden spoon
• Rolling pin and sharp knife

Preparation

Prepare the guava

1. Trim, peel, and deseed the guava if using fresh; chop and mash until you have a spreadable puree. If using canned guava, drain well and mash.
2. Taste the guava; if very tart, you may balance later with the sauce rather than adding more granulated sugar to the dough.

Make the dough

1. In a bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and granulated sugar.
2. Work in the cold unsalted butter with fingertips until pea-sized bits remain; keep some larger flecks for flakiness.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the whole milk, egg, and vanilla extract; stir in the lemon zest, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
4. Add wet to dry and gently mix just until a soft dough forms; avoid overmixing to keep the crumb tender.
5. Lightly dust a surface with a touch of all-purpose flour. Pat and roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.

Assemble and wrap

1. Spread the mashed guava evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides.
2. Roll up tightly from a short side into a neat log, pinching the seam to seal. Tuck the ends.
3. Lay the log on a moistened, lightly greased cloth; roll up snugly in the cloth and tie with twine at intervals so it holds its shape but is not constricted.

Steam the duff

1. Set a trivet or steamer basket in a large pot. Add enough water to come just below the trivet; season with a pinch of salt if desired.
2. Bring the water to a gentle boil, lower in the wrapped roll, and cover. Steam for 1 hour, checking the pot and topping up with hot water as needed.
3. Test doneness by pressing the roll; it should feel set and springy. If the center seems doughy, steam an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove to a board and rest for 10 minutes before unwrapping to help the structure set.

Make the sauce

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Stir in the brown sugar and cook until syrupy.
2. Whisk in the water and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
3. Off heat, stir in the vanilla extract, the dark rum (if using), a pinch of ground cinnamon, and a pinch of ground nutmeg. Keep warm.

Serve

1. Unwrap the duff, slice into thick rounds, and spoon over warm sauce. If desired, add a little extra mashed guava on top.
2. For a party-style presentation, pour some sauce onto the platter, arrange slices, and glaze with more sauce just before serving.

Tips and Variations

• No alcohol option: Skip the dark rum and add an extra 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract, plus a splash of hot water to loosen the sauce.
• Smoother filling: Strain the mashed guava to remove seeds if you prefer a uniform texture.
• Citrus note: Keep the lemon zest subtle so it supports rather than overpowers the guava.
• Cloth wrap: If you lack cheesecloth, use a clean cotton towel; just be sure to secure it so the dough can expand without bursting.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate cooled slices in an airtight container up to 3 days; keep the sauce in a separate jar.
• Reheat slices by steaming for 5 to 8 minutes until warmed through, or microwave gently and spoon over warmed sauce.
• Freeze, well-wrapped, for up to a month; thaw overnight in the fridge and refresh by a brief steam for 5 minutes.

How to Enjoy

Serve Guava Duff warm so the slices are plush and the aromas bloom. Let the buttery sauce pool on the plate, and complement it with coffee or tea. For an indulgent twist, pair with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream; the cold cream contrasts beautifully with the warm pastry, fragrant guava, and the mellow notes of vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.