NOTE: If you are making the layered peraada, then you’ll need to double this recipe and get 4-5 ripe guavas of each color. Work with one color set at a time, and make 2 batches of this recipe.

Prepare a rimmed baking sheet by lining with parchment; lightly grease the parchment with a little butter. Don’t use oil, or you’ll risk ruining the flavor of the guava toffee that will come to rest on top of this!

Puree the guavas whole, without adding any water.

If the guavas are slightly unripe, you can cook them briefly just enough to soften them, and then drain and puree.

Push the guava puree through a strainer to separate the seeds. This will take some mixing and coaxing, but eventually you obtain a seedless puree

Weigh the resulting pulp. This is important because it determines the amount of sugar you’ll need (and how much you can reduce, if you want to).

Now dump the entire pure, sugar, and the juice of 1 large lemon into a heavy bottomed pan.

Using a low-medium flame, start mixing. Do not leave this unattended or stop mixing as the puree thickens quickly, and will catch and burn below if left without stirring—and a charred flavor is not what we’re aiming for.

Soon the liquid will come to a mud-pot volcanic boil—continue mixing and cooking.

Shortly after the mid-pot boil stage, add in the butter cubes

When you’ve been cooking & mixing for about 30 minutes or so, the mixture should start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Test now by putting a little onto a spoon, stick it in a freezer to cool rapidly and see if you can roll a little ball with greased fingers. If you can, switch off the flame—you’re done. (If not, continue cooking until you come to this “ball” stage).

Now working quickly, spread this paste into an even layer on the prepped parchment-lined baking sheet

Let this rest for a few hours before cutting. Or, if you are making layered peraada as in my images, set this aside to rest while you prep the second color/layer.

Put the second layer on top of the first only after it has cooled thoroughly. Leave the second layer to cool completely before cutting into shapes and patterns of your choosing.