Uchuvas (pronounced ooh-chew-vahs) are also known as cape gooseberries, goldenberries, or groundcherries. They are similar in size and texture to a cherry tomato, but the taste is tart like a sour cherry.
I recently had my first uchuva at El Cielo in one of their dessert courses (you can read more about my experience at El Cielo here.) At first, I was surprised by the tart flavor, but after a few bites my palate adjusted. Then, about a week after my first uchuva experience, I randomly found them at my local Trader Joes! I felt like it was a sign, so I of course bought them and experimented with some recipes!
These muffins are moist, fluffy, fruity, and have the perfect amount of sweetness. The coconut adds a nice crunch and compliments the taste of the uchuva. The arequipe (aka dulce de leche) ties in all the flavors and makes this dish taste like a Colombian dessert.
What You’ll Need:
- 2 eggs
- olive oil spray (for muffin liners)
- 1¼ cups of chopped uchuvas (aka goldenberries or cape gooseberries)
- 1 cups of flour
- ½ cup of vegan butter
- ½ cup of white sugar
- ½ cup of almond milk
- ½ cup of shredded coconut
- ½ cup of arequipe or dulce de leche
- ¾ cup of brown sugar
- 1½ teaspoon of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of salt
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 425F.
- Rinse the uchuvas under water and gently rub to help remove the sticky film.
- Optional: Use a knife to carefully slice off the end of the uchuvas that connect to the vine.
- Place the uchuvas in a food processor to chop.
- Place the egg, butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and almond milk in a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer on medium speed to combine well for about 1 minute.
- Once the wet ingredients are creamed together, add the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt and use the electric mixer at high speed to combine. Mix for about 1 minute or until no clumps of white flour remain.
- Once the batter is ready, add the uchuvas and shredded coconut (be sure to distribute them evenly in the batter without overmixing).
- Place muffin liners on a muffin tin and lightly spray with olive oil.
- Use the following method to fill each muffin liner: 2tbsp of batter, 1tsp of arequipe, 1 tbsp of batter and repeat for each muffin liner (there will be extra batter so be prepared to make a second batch).
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425F, then lower to 350F and bake for another 16-18 minutes.
- Remove the muffins and let cool.
- Optional: spread arequipe on each muffin, sprinkle shredded coconut, and add sliced uchuvas on top and enjoy!
- Yields 16 muffins
