Guava Lava Recipe

Prepare guava purée

Peel and core about 5–6 medium ripe guavas (or use store-bought guava purée). Roughly chop and place in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Pass purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids to extract as much liquid as possible. You should have roughly 2 cups of strained purée.

Combine sugar and strained guava purée in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to steam (do not boil vigorously).

In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry. When guava mixture is steaming and just beginning to thicken, slowly whisk in the slurry to avoid lumps.

Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens to a glossy, pourable jam-consistency that will coat the back of a spoon (about 3–5 minutes). Reduce heat to low and stir in lime juice, unsalted butter, and salt until butter melts and is fully incorporated. Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity if needed. Remove from heat and let cool to warm room temperature (about 20–30 minutes).

For a very smooth lava, use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender and puree briefly, then strain again if desired. Chill slightly if you prefer a thicker lava for piping (10–15 minutes).

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare four 6–8 ounce ramekins or muffin tin wells by lightly buttering and dusting with flour or lining with parchment.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract until pale, frothy and slightly increased in volume (about 1–2 minutes by hand or 30–45 seconds with a whisk attachment).

Fold in the all-purpose flour and pinch of salt gently with a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing to keep the batter airy.

Stir in the melted butter gently until incorporated. Batter should be smooth and slightly ribboning but still light.

Spoon or pipe about 2 tablespoons of batter into the bottom of each prepared ramekin — enough to create a thin base layer that will bake into a shell around the filling.

Place a heaping tablespoon (about 20–30 g) of warm (not hot) guava lava in the center of each ramekin on top of the base layer, leaving a 1/2-inch margin around edges. Top the guava filling with another 2 tablespoons of batter, covering the filling. Smooth the top lightly.

Bake in preheated oven for 10–14 minutes until the edges are set and lightly golden but the center still yields slightly when shaken — you want the interior to remain molten. Exact time depends on ramekin size and oven; check at 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let sit 1–2 minutes. Run a small knife around the ramekin walls to loosen and invert onto serving plates, or serve in ramekins.

Dust the top with powdered sugar and garnish with a mint leaf if desired. Serve immediately so the guava lava remains molten.

If making ahead: fill and bake shells, then cool and refrigerate. To reheat and revive lava, warm in a 325°F (160°C) oven for 6–8 minutes or microwave briefly (10–15 seconds) until interior is soft but not scalding.