Cuban Pastelito De Guayaba Recipes

GUAVA CUBAN PASTRY (PASTELITO DE GUAYABA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut guava paste into 18 thin slices.
• Unroll puff pastry and cut into 18 squares. Place a thin slice of guava paste onto each square and fold pastry piece over to make a triangle. Using a fork, pinch the edges of the triangle together. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar if you like.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

PASTELITOS DE GUAYABA + QUESO (GUAVA CHEESE PASTRIES!)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions, usually about 20-30 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Cut guava into thin slices. If using cream cheese, cut the block into slices too. Unfold one of the pastry sheets and place it on the cookie sheet.
• Place 6 slices of guava per pastry sheet fold about 1-2 inches apart (you'll have 18 slices total on the entire pastry sheet). Add cream cheese over guava paste slices (optional).
• Unfold the second pastry sheet and place it over the other one that now has the guava paste slices.
• Cut into 9 squares and score the tops of each one. No need to divide the squares. Leave everything intact. Brush egg wash on each one to get that flaky crust.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately and enjoy!

GUAVA & CHEESE STRUDEL (PASTELITOS DE GUAYABA Y QUESO)

Steps:

• Clean the guava under running water. Cut the stems off and cut the guava in half.
• Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and put the seeds into a bowl with the water. Chop the guava flesh into quarters and put into a blender. Repeat until all guava is prepped. The guava flesh should measure to be around one pound at this point.
• Strain the seeds and water over a glass bowl and use a spatula or your hands to push the excess guava flesh through the strainer. This may be a bit slimy. You should end up with around ¾ cup of guava liquid if you started with 1.5 lb guava.
• Pour the water and guava liquid into the blender with the chopped guava and blend until the guava is puréed completely.
• In a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the pureed guava and sugar. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to incorporate the sugar completely. Bring the mixture to a boil.
• Lower the heat to medium and simmer the mixture for about 15 minutes or until the guava mixture has reduced by about half. If you find the simmer is too strong, you can lower the heat to medium-low. The final consistency should be similar to a thin pudding. Remove it from the heat and let cool in the pot. The final consistency will be thicker as it cools (see photo).
• In a food processor, add the flour, powdered sugar, salt, and butter. Pulse a few times until the butter is the size of peas.
• Transfer to a large bowl and add the sour cream and stir gently so that the sour cream is incorporated. I like to use my hands towards the end so that I know the butter doesn't crumble too much. The dough should begin to take on a shaggy texture.
• Transfer the shaggy dough onto a parchment sheet and form the dough into a ball. To make the dough easier to work with, cut the dough in half.
• Take another parchment sheet and lay it on top of each ball of dough and then roll out your dough into a rectangle that's 12 x 7 inches with about ¼-½ inch thickness. Repeat with the other half of dough. NOTE: if at any time you find the dough becoming too soft or warm, place it in the freezer for 10 minutes to cool down.
• Unwrap the top layer of parchment and make a tri-fold by taking the right side of the dough and folding it ⅓ of the way to the center. Then, take the left side and fold over the first fold. You should end up with a smaller rectangle. Cover the dough with the parchment paper. Repeat with the other half of the dough.
• Chill the dough pieces in the freezer for 15 minutes. Don't leave them in the freezer for too long or it will freeze and become too hard.
• Once chilled and slightly hard, roll out the dough pieces again to a larger rectangle that measures around 12 x 7 inches again and make a tri-fold one more time. Then chill in the freezer for 15 minutes before making your pastries.
• Whisk the fridge temp cream cheese, salt, and sugar together in a medium sized bowl. Then mix in the egg. Try not to overmix the cream cheese or it will become too liquidy. If the mixture becomes too soft, you can pop it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes to harden it.
• Preheat the oven to 400 °F.
• Roll out each of the dough pieces into a long rectangle of about 14 by 10 inches with a thickness of ¼ inch. Divide each of the rectangles into 6 pieces (if you want large strudels) or 12 pieces (if you want medium sized strudels). Place half of these rectangles in a parchment paper lined sheet pan with at least one inch space between them.
• In a small bowl, beat one egg. Brush the egg wash on the edges of half of the rectangles (the bottom halves of your pastries), about ¼" thick around the perimeter.
• Spread the cheese filling in the center of the egg-washed rectangles.
• Add guava jam on top, both spread evenly close to but not touching the egg wash.
• For the untouched rectangles, these are the pastry tops. Cut 2-3 slits in the center for venting and added design. Then carefully take one of these rectangles and place it on top of a filled guava and cheese piece. Carefully press the edges and seal them using a fork.
• Brush more egg wash on top. Optional: sprinkle some turbinado sugar on top for extra texture. Repeat with the rest of the strudels.
• Place the sheet pan and strudels in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes. I would recommend checking the pastries at 15 minutes to check on them. Remove from the oven when they are puffy and golden brown at the edges and top.
• Place them on a cooling rack for about five minutes so you don't burn yourself while eating. Serve them immediately or move them into the fridge and they will last for at least 3-5 days.

PASTELITO DE GUAYABA (CUBAN GUAVA PASTRY)

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, add all guava shells and half the syrup from one can; Process until it reaches a smooth consistency; Put puree in a medium saucepan and cook at low heat until reduced to a very thick consistency; Let guava cool and then fill into pastry bag.
• In a medium mixing bowl, add 4 ounces of water, 2 ounces of butter, and salt and mix until smooth; Then add flour and work well until all ingredients are incorporated; Continue to add water, a little at a time, working the dough until a medium-hard consistency is reached; Form dough into a ball and let rest for 15 minutes; Roll the dough into a flat square, about 1/2-inch thick.
• Place the remaining butter in the middle of square and pat down by hand to form a square about one-half the size of the dough square; Fold over the 4 corners of the dough, 1 at a time, overlapping each other so that a sealed envelope is formed enclosing the butter; Dust with flour and roll out to form a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick; Now fold 1/3 of the rectangle dough towards the middle and the remaining 1/3 over those 2; Let dough rest for 15 minutes; Now repeat process above of rolling out and folding in 3, 2 more times, resting 15 minutes between each.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Roll out a final time into a rectangle and fold ¼ of the dough on each side to the middle and then fold 1 more time down the middle to form 4 flaps in the fold; Let rest for 15 minutes; Roll out to a rectangle to about 1/8-inch thick; With a knife, cut the flattened dough into a 4-inch wide strip by length of your baking sheet; Lay strip on sheet pan lined with waxed paper and put filling lengthwise in the middle in continuous stream about 3/4-inch in diameter; Spray edges of strips with water and cover with another 4-inch strip of dough the same size as bottom; Press the edges together by hand very softly all the way around; Brush top with egg wash and bake for 35 minutes.
• Remove from oven and brush with a simple syrup over the top and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and cut crosswise into 16 pieces.

PASTELITOS DE GUAYABA Y QUESO (GUAVA AND CHEESE PASTRY)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Allow puff pastry to thaw for 15-20 minutes.
• Unroll puff pastry, remove paper, and layer both over each other.
• Cut pastry into 3 by following the indented lines. Rotate the puff pastry and cut 3 additional lines to create 9 squares.
• Set the top layer of the puff pastry to the side.
• Add 1-2 slices of guava to each pastry (depending on your taste for guava), top with 1-2 chunks of cream cheese.
• Before returning the puffs to cover the guava and cream cheese, with the point of a knife, go ahead and add 2-3 slits to each square.
• Top the pastries with remaining squares.
• Brush the tops of the pastries with the whisked eggs.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until pastry tops are golden and the edges are the tiniest hint of brown.
• Serve warm.

CUBAN PASTELITOS DE GUAYABA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
• Unroll your puff pastry on a baking sheet and using a pizza cutter, make 9 squares of about 3 inches.
• Drop a teaspoon of cream cheese in the middle of each square.
• Place the guava paste slices on top.
• Fold all the corners towards the center to form a little square and place it on the parchment paper with the folds down.
• Repeat the same process with the second pastry sheet.
• Using a baking brush, gently brush the guava cheese pastries with egg wash (egg yolk + 2 drops of water).
• Bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
• Dust with icing sugar - optional.

PASTELITOS DE QUESO (CUBAN CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES/QUESITOS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut each pastry sheet into 9 squares (4x4) and place them on the baking sheet.
• Carefully spread one tablespoon of the softened cream cheese, diagonally, from the left corner of the square to the bottom right corner of the square.
• Brush the corners with egg wash. Bring the bottom left corner of the pastry over the cream cheese and connect to the top right corner, pressing down gently to seal. Repeat with all the pastry squares.
• Brush each pastry square with egg wash and sprinkle evenly with the granulated sugar.
• Place the pastries on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

CUBAN PASTELITO DE GUAYABA

Steps:

• In a blender or food processor, add all guava shells and half the syrup from one can. Process until it reaches a smooth consistency. Put puree in a medium saucepan and cook at low heat until reduced to a very thick consistency. Let guava cool and then fill into pastry bag. In a medium mixing bowl, add 4 ounces of water, 2 ounces of butter, and salt and mix until smooth. Then add flour and work well until all ingredients are incorporated. Continue to add water, a little at a time, working the dough until a medium-hard consistency is reached. Form dough into a ball and let rest for 15 minutes. Roll the dough into a flat square, about 1/2-inch thick.
• Place the remaining butter in the middle of square and pat down by hand to form a square about one-half the size of the dough square. Fold over the 4 corners of the dough, 1 at a time, overlapping each other so that a sealed envelope is formed enclosing the butter. Dust with flour and roll out to form a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick. Now fold 1/3 of the rectangle dough towards the middle and the remaining 1/3 over those 2. Let dough rest for 15 minutes. Now repeat process above of rolling out and folding in 3, 2 more times, resting 15 minutes between each.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Roll out a final time into a rectangle and fold 1/4of the dough on each side to the middle and then fold 1 more time down the middle to form 4 flaps in the fold. Let rest for 15 minutes. Roll out to a rectangle to about 1/8-inch thick. With a knife, cut the flattened dough into a 4-inch wide strip by length of your baking sheet. Lay strip on sheet pan lined with waxed paper and put filling lengthwise in the middle in continuous stream about 3/4-inch in diameter. Spray edges of strips with water and cover with another 4-inch strip of dough the same size as bottom. Press the edges together by hand very softly all the way around. Brush top with egg wash and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with a simple syrup over the top and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and cut crosswise into 16 pieces.