Desserts
Colombian Green Papaya Dessert
Firm green papaya becomes tender, translucent strips as it gently cooks in panela syrup with cinnamon and cloves. This Colombian December sweet keeps the fruit in distinct pieces rather than turning it into jam.
Part of the collection: Colombian Christmas recipes
- Total time
- 465 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Cuisine
- Colombian
Ingredients
Method
Cut the papaya
Cut the 1000 g prepared papaya into even strips approximately 1 × 1 × 6 cm.
Soak the strips
Soak the strips in the 2000 ml cold water for 1 hour in the refrigerator at 4 °C or below.
Rinse the papaya
Rinse the strips with clean water to remove traces of latex; they should be well drained.
Soften the fruit
Cook the strips in the other 2000 ml water at a gentle boil for 10–15 minutes until flexible and easily pierced with a skewer.
Make the syrup
Dissolve the 450 g panela in the 750 ml water with the cinnamon stick and 4 cloves over low heat for about 10 minutes.
Simmer the papaya
Cook the drained, softened papaya in the syrup, uncovered over low heat, for 45–60 minutes. The strips should become translucent and tender, and the syrup should lightly coat a spoon.
Remove the spices
Remove the cinnamon stick and all 4 cloves when cooking is finished.
Cool the dessert
Cool the papaya in its syrup in a shallow container for no more than 1 hour. Total time outside the refrigerator must not exceed 2 hours.
Refrigerate
Refrigerate the covered container for at least 4 hours at 4 °C or below.
Serve
Divide the papaya and all its syrup into 10 servings. Serve cold or lightly chilled.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Choose truly green papaya with firm, pale flesh, not ripe orange-fleshed papaya. This is a stovetop recipe: water boils near 100 °C at sea level and at a lower temperature at altitude, so judge doneness by texture. Keep covered in its syrup at 4 °C or below for up to 5 days from preparation. This is a refrigerated dessert, not a shelf-stable preserve. If the syrup thickens before the fruit softens, add hot water a little at a time.
Nutrition facts
1/10
- Protein
- 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates
- 55 g
- Fat
- 0.3 g
Per 1 of 10 servings, including one tenth of all the syrup, without accompaniments. Generic raw papaya approximates green papaya and brown sugar approximates panela; removed spices are excluded. Leaving syrup reduces sugar intake.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central / Standard Reference
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
Firm green papaya becomes tender, translucent strips as it gently cooks in panela syrup with cinnamon and cloves. This Colombian December sweet keeps the fruit in distinct pieces rather than turning it into jam.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know it is ready?
The strips should be translucent and tender when pierced, yet hold their shape. The syrup should lightly coat a spoon.
Can I use ripe papaya?
Not for this texture. Firm green papaya stands up to long cooking; ripe fruit may fall apart.
