Guava Ice Cream
Inside: An 8-ingredient guava ice cream recipe with a Cuisinart churn or other machine and the secret to making homemade ice cream that tastes like premium, store-bought brands.
Look no further for guava ice cream with the sweet tropical aromas of real fruit and the rich, creamy texture of premium store-bought ice cream. This guava ice cream recipe with a splash of rum delivers flavor and is scoopable right from the container.
I bought my Mom a guava tree about 10 years ago and it has taken off. Growing to nearly 20 feet and producing gobs of strawberry guavas (the pink ones) every season.
With so much fruit, she’s gotten creative with ways to use it. From canning huge batches of guava jam, making this guava simple syrup for cocktails and the leftover poached fruit for this guava sherbet. There’s no end to the bounty.
This recipe takes it to the next level, though. Honestly, it’s like the Häagen-Däzs version of guava ice cream–if they made one.
No-churn ice cream recipes abound online, but they’re a sad substitute for the real thing. Especially when it’s done THIS RIGHT. Yes, it takes a few extra steps compared to those sweetened condensed milk varieties, but the taste and texture are worlds away from those wannabes.
Why this recipe works:
- It uses only eight ingredients and takes about 30 minutes of hands-on prep.
- Roasting the guava pulp concentrates the guava flavor.
- Works great in a Cuisinart churn or any other electric or hand-crank machine.
- It can be enjoyed as soft-serve straight from the canister.
- Thanks to a splash of rum (which also adds a soft caramel note), it’s scoopable even after freezing solid.
- If Häagen Däzs, Ben and Jerry, or Van Leewen’s made this flavor — it would taste like this.
Ingredients:
- Ripe Guavas –I used strawberry guavas, which have pink flesh. You can also use the yellow-colored fruit.
- Granulated Sugar–used for both the guava puree and sweetening the custard.
- Cornstarch–used to thicken the fruit puree and the custard.
- Whole Milk–don’t substitute it with low-fat, skim, or half-and-half. The recipe works the way that it’s written.
- Cream Cheese–to bind the ingredients and give the dessert body.
- Sea Salt–or kosher salt
- Whipping Cream–To enrich the custard and raise it to the right butterfat level, you can use regular or heavy whipping cream.
- Light Corn Syrup–mitigates the formation of ice crystals, and for those concerned, Karo light corn syrup doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup.
- Golden Rum–I used Mount Gay, but you could also use a spiced rum, like Captain Morgan’s.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Combine ½ cup sugar and two teaspoons of cornstarch in a small bowl and mix to combine. Then add the cornstarch mixture to the chopped guava and mix to combine until the fruit is evenly coated.
2. Roast the guava in a 400° F oven for 20 minutes, remove and set aside to cool. Transfer the roasted fruit to a food processor and puree until smooth. Strain the puree through a mesh sieve to filter out any pulp, skin or seeds. Use the flat side of a rubber spatula to press the pulp through the sieve.
You can prep the fruit several days ahead of time.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of milk and 5 teaspoons of cornstarch to form a slurry. Set aside.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and salt with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
5. Bring the remainder of the milk, cream, sugar and cornstarch to a boil in a medium saucepan, reduce the temperature to medium heat stirring constantly so the bottom doesn’t scorch and boil the cream mixture for 4 minutes.
6. Add the cornstarch and milk mixture, boiling and stirring constantly until the mixture thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
7. Add ¼-⅓ cup of the hot milk mixture to the cream cheese mixture and beat with the hand mixer until smooth and combined.
8. Continue to add the hot milk mixture to the cream cheese a little at a time, beating after each addition until it’s smooth.
9. Stir in ⅔ cup of the pink guava puree and stir to blend well.
10. Add the rum and stir to combine. Cover the custard with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge until it’s cold. (I recommend at least 2-3 hours or overnight).
11. Transfer the custard to your churn and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
I used a Cuisinart churn, and it took about 25 minutes to achieve soft serve consistency.
12. Pack the ice cream into a freezer-safe container. If you have any leftover roasted guava puree, alternate packing it with spoonfuls of the guava puree. Cover and freeze for 3-4 hours or until solid.
Pro-Tips:
- Straining the fruit through a sieve removes graininess from the fruit and prevents errant seeds from invading the custard.
- Roasting the fruit with sugar and cornstarch accomplishes two things: it bursts the fruit’s cells and releases the juice, which combines with the sugar and cornstarch to form a syrupy blend that prevents the fruit from being icy. Don’t skip this step.
- If you don’t want to use alcohol, you can skip it and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead. To make scooping easier, allow the frozen dessert to sit on the counter for 5 minutes before scooping.
Variations:
- You can use other types of alcohol, such as tequila, vodka or flavored rums (like spiced varieties or coconut)
- Add toasted flaked coconut to the mix for a double dose of tropical flavor.
- Swirl extra guava puree into the ice cream for a more concentrated fruit flavor.
- Add a handful of toasted sliced almonds or macadamia nuts for a crunchy mix-in.
Storage:
- Pack the frozen custard into freezer-safe containers with an airtight lid to prevent freezer odors from transferring to the dessert. I like these Tovolo containers {affiliate link}.
- This frozen treat lasts 2-3 weeks in the freezer, though once people know it’s there, it doesn’t stand a chance.
FAQs
This recipe has the distinct tropical-floral aroma and flavor of guavas softened by the melt-in-your-mouth creamy texture of premium brands. You’ll also get a soft caramel note from the rum.
If you live in the Keys–call my Mom. Otherwise, depending on where you live, guavas may be a common item or a specialty fruit since they have a fairly short shelf life.
If you can’t find fresh guavas, use ⅔ cup of guava paste, softened with a few tablespoons of boiling water to give it a looser consistency.
More guava recipes to try:
- Homemade Guava Jam
- Guava Sherbet
- Spicy Guava BBQ Sauce
- Gourmet Grilled Cheese
- Guava Limeade Summer Mocktail
More homemade ice cream recipes:
- Mango Ice Cream
- Cherry Ice Cream
- Hazelnut Nougat Ice Cream
- Incredible Strawberry Daiquiri Ice Cream
Guava Ice Cream
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- 1 churn
- storage containers
INGREDIENTS:
FOR ROASTED GUAVA:
- 4-6 ripe guavas for about 2 cups of mango flesh
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
IF YOU DON'T HAVE FRESH GUAVAS:
- ⅔ cup guava paste
- ¼ cup boiling water
FOR GUAVA CUSTARD:
- 2⅔ cups whole milk divided
- 5 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
- 1½ cups cream
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- ¼ cup golden rum
- ⅔ cup roasted guava
DIRECTIONS:
FOR THE ROASTED GUAVAS:
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin from 4-6 ripe guavas. Cut the guavas in half horizontally and scoop out the inner portion where the seeds are. (Save the seedy sections to make this guava simple syrup for cocktails and drinks.)
- Chop the fruit into large chunks. and transfer to a casserole dish.
- In a small bowl mix ½ cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cornstarch together until blended and pour it over the fruit. Stir to combine and transfer to the oven. Cook the fruit for 20 minutes. Remove and cool to room temperature.
- Transfer the guava mixture to a mini food processor and pulse to puree. Pour the guava through a mesh sieve resting over a bowl and use a spatula to press the guava mixture through the mesh. to sort out any seeds and fibers. Set aside. (This can be made several days ahead).
IF YOU DON'T HAVE FRESH GUAVAS:
- Add ⅔ cup guava paste to a small bowl and mash the paste with a fork to loosen it. Add ¼ cup boiling water one tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until the paste is loose and smooth.
FOR THE GUAVA ICE CREAM:
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the 2⅔ cups whole milk in a separate prep bowl and whisk in 5 teaspoons cornstarch. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, beat ¼ cup cream cheese and¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt with a hand mixer until smooth and evenly blended. Set aside.
- In a large 4-quart saucepan, heat the remainder of the milk with 1½ cups cream, ⅔ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and cook for 4 minutes.
- Add the milk and cornstarch mixture to the cream mixture and cook, stirring constantly until it thickens.
- Remove the cream mixture from the heat and add ¼-⅓ cup of the hot cream to the cream cheese. Use the hand mixer to beat until smooth, then gradually, beat in the remainder of the cream mixture until the base is well blended.
- Add ⅔ cup roasted guava puree to the custard and stir to blend. (reserve leftover guava to swirl as a mix-in when packing the dessert.)
- Stir in ¼ cup golden rum. Cover the custard with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours until very cold.
CHURN:
- Churn the custard according to the manufacturer's instructions on the machine. It should take 20-25 minutes to become like soft-serve.
- Pack the frozen dessert, alternating with the leftover roasted fruit, into a container and smooth the top. Cover and freeze for 2-4 hours until solid, then scoop and enjoy.
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
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I didn’t expect such a good ice cream. The guava flavor is pure and delicious, andthe texture is the BEST. This is better than the store-bought brands.