Sweet & Savory Guava Cream Cheese Pupu Dip
Aunty's Pantry: Mainland Supermarket Hacks
A silver-foil brick of Philadelphia cream cheese, a plastic platter, a loud pupu spread: unexpected guests guarantee that food must immediately appear. This local hack requires zero culinary acrobatics—just a brick of cream cheese and a sticky glaze pulled straight from a jar of Goya guava jelly. By spiking sweet guava jelly with umami-rich shoyu and a hit of chili heat, you create an addictive dip. Serve it unceremoniously with a torn sleeve of Ritz crackers, scoop deep, and get out of the way.
Before you start
Respect the room temperature rule.
Pull the cream cheese out well before guests arrive. Cold cream cheese will snap a Ritz cracker in half and ruin the relaxed vibe of the entire operation.
Ingredients
- full-fat cream cheese8 oz
- guava jelly1/2 cup
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- chili garlic sauce1 tsp
- toasted sesame oil1/4 tsp
- green onion1 med
- buttery crackers1 box
Method
- 01
Place the unwrapped block of cream cheese in the center of a rimmed serving plate.
Allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes. This slight softening is crucial so a cracker can glide through without breaking.
- 02
Whisk the guava jelly, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and toasted sesame oil in a small bowl until smooth.
If your jelly is particularly stiff, microwave the mixture for 10 to 15 seconds to loosen it up. It should pour easily but still be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- 03
Pour the sweet and savory guava glaze directly over the top of the cream cheese.
Allow it to pool slightly around the base of the cheese in the rimmed dish. The beauty of this dish is its absolute refusal to be fancy—do not attempt to whip or pipe the cheese.
- 04
Sprinkle the sliced green onion over the glazed block and surround with a generous halo of crackers.
Serve immediately.
Notes
Supermarket Guava Hack
If you can only find dense guava paste in the Hispanic aisle of your supermarket, simply microwave 4 ounces of it with a tablespoon or two of hot water and whisk vigorously until it melts into a spreadable consistency.
Mind Your Shoyu
Aloha brand soy sauce is the undisputed island favorite for its slightly sweeter, less aggressive flavor profile. If you are using standard Kikkoman on the mainland, hold back a few drops so the salt doesn't overpower the dip.
From Cook Hawaiian in America.