Bocadillo (dessert) facts for kids
A block of bocadillo sitting upon its dried leaf packaging.
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| Alternative names | Bocadillo de guayaba, guava jelly, guava paste, conserva de guayaba |
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| Type | Confectionery |
| Course | Snack |
| Region or state | Latin America |
| Main ingredients | Guava pulp and panela |
Bocadillo is a sweet treat from Latin America. It's also known as guava jelly or guava paste. This yummy candy is made from guava fruit and a type of unrefined sugar called panela. People in countries like Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela love to eat it. You can also find similar sweets made from other fruits, like bananas or coconuts!
What is Bocadillo?
Bocadillo usually comes in a small, rectangular block. It has a firm texture and a deep red color. It looks a bit like a Spanish dessert called dulce de membrillo. People often enjoy bocadillo with cheese, spread it on bread, or just eat it by itself as a snack.
Where Does it Come From?
The town of Vélez in Santander Department, Colombia, is a very important place for making bocadillo. Because of this, the sweet is sometimes called "bocadillo veleño." In 2006, the bocadillo veleño was even nominated as a cultural symbol for Colombia in a special contest!
In Venezuela, people enjoy bocadillo in a similar way. There, it's often called "conserva de guayaba."
How is Bocadillo Made?
Making bocadillo is a lot like making other fruit jams or jellies. First, the guavas are washed and peeled. Then, they are mashed into a soft pulp. This pulp is strained to remove any seeds.
Next, the guava pulp is boiled in water with panela or regular sugar. This mixture cooks slowly for several hours at a low temperature. It keeps cooking until it becomes very thick. After that, the hot liquid is left to cool down. As it cools, it can be shaped into blocks. Once it's completely cool, it gets its firm, chewy texture.
Traditionally, each piece of bocadillo is wrapped in the leaves of a plant called bijao (calathea lutea). This helps keep the sweet fresh and also adds to its special flavor!
Similar Sweets
There's a sweet treat from Brazil called goiabada that is very similar to bocadillo. It's also made from guava, but it usually has less sugar.
See also
In Spanish: Bocadillo (dulce) para niños
