Food Network

Guava and Cheese Pastelitos

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These flaky, golden pastries filled with guava and cheese are inspired by the pastelitos de guava y queso you might find at a local panadería. Guava and cream cheese is a popular flavour combination throughout Latin America and particularly in Cuba and Puerto Rico. The pastries are usually made with slices of cream cheese and a dollop of guava paste, but this version uses whipped cream cheese and guava preserves for a creamy, melt-in-your-mouth filling that’s easy to put together. Using store-bought puff pastry also speeds prep and gives this classic the perfect amount of buttery flavour to match the sweet and tangy filling. Recipe courtesy of Jacqueline Tris.

Ingredients

Method

Special equipment: 2 disposable piping bags; a pizza cutter or bench scraper

  1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
  2. In a stand mixer, whip the cream cheese and vanilla extract together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the cream cheese to a disposable piping bag. Place the guava jam in another disposable piping bag. Refrigerate both bags until ready to use.
  3. On a floured surface, lay out a sheet of puff pastry; smooth it with a rolling pin if necessary. Use a pizza cutter or bench scraper to cut out nine 3-inch squares. Divide the squares between the prepared baking sheets. Cut the second sheet of puff pastry in the same way but leave the squares on the floured surface.
  4. Use scissors to snip about 1/4 inch off the tip of each piping bag. Pipe a squiggle of cream cheese onto the center of the squares on the baking sheets. Top the cream cheese with a similar squiggle of guava. Use the entire contents of both bags.
  5. Whisk the egg and cream together in a small bowl or cup. Use a pastry brush to outline the edges of the squares on the baking sheets. Place a second square of puff pastry on top of each. Crimp the edges with a fork and use a paring knife to score the tops of the pastelitos with 2 or 3 lines. Place the pans in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
  6. Preheat the oven to 205 degrees C. Brush each pastry with egg wash and sprinkle each with about 1/2 teaspoon of the turbinado sugar. Bake until the tops and bottoms are golden brown and the pastries are puffed, about 22 minutes, rotating and switching the baking sheets halfway through.
  7. Cool the pastries on the pans before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 day.
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