Pastelitos De Queso Cuban Cream Cheese Pastriesquesitos Recipes

PASTELITOS DE QUESO AS MADE BY VIVIAN HERNANDEZ-JACKSON RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Sprinkle 1½ cups (300 G) sugar onto a clean surface, about 5 inches larger all around than the sheet of puff pastry.
• Place the puff pastry over the sugar and sprinkle the remaining 1½ cups (300 G) sugar on top.
• Gently press the sugar into the dough, then use a rolling pin to roll out the pastry to a 24 x 14-inch rectangle.
• Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut the pastry into 9 equal squares.
• Add the cream cheese to a piping bag fitted with a ¾-inch round tip.
• Pipe the cream cheese diagonally onto the center of each pastry square.
• Bring one corner of the dough diagonally over the cream cheese to meet the opposite corner, then roll up into a log. Divide the pastelitos between the prepared baking sheets, making sure the seams are on the bottom so the pastelitos do not unroll during baking.
• Bake the pastelitos for 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and puffed. Remove from the oven and transfer to a plate to cool completely before serving.
• Enjoy!

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!

PASTELITODE DE QUESO: CUBAN PUFF PASTRY WITH CREAM CHEESE

Steps:

• Combine and mix the flour, water, pork lard and salt. Mix until the dough is not sticky but not firm (do not over mix), finger should leave a dent. Place the dough on a large, floured work surface. Using hands, stretch the dough out into a large, even rectangle. Spread the cubes of margarine evenly on top. Vertically fold each end to meet in the middle. Overlapping, in thirds, fold horizontally. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to 1 1/2 inches thick. Fold into thirds vertically and then again horizontally. Transfer to a baking tray and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Once rested, transfer the dough to a floured work surface and roll out to a 1-inch thick rectangle. Dust off any excess flour and repeat the folds, 4 folds in total. Transfer to a baking tray, wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes.
• Lay the dough on a sugared work surface. Sprinkle the rest of the sugar on top of the dough. Roll the dough out to a 3/4-inch thick rectangle. Make sure to press the sugar into the dough. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares. Place a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese in each center. Wet the dough's edges with water. Fold one corner into the cream cheese and continue to roll like a cigar. Press 3 fingers flat on top of the pastry. Place in the oven for until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve with a cafe con leche.

PASTELITOS (GUAVA AND CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Prepare an egg wash: In a small bowl, beat the egg with a pinch of salt and set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll one sheet of puff pastry into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle roughly the size of a standard sheet of paper. (Keep the other puff pastry sheet in the refrigerator.) Dust off any excess flour and lay the rolled pastry sheet on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Dip a pastry brush into the egg wash, and paint a line in lengthwise along the center of the pastry sheet, followed by three crosswise lines, evenly spaced, forming a grid of 8 rectangles, each approximately 3 inches wide and 4 inches long. Brush edges with egg wash. Lay a slice of guava paste in the center of each rectangle (or dot with dollops of jam or preserves, if using). Spread some of the cream cheese, if using, on top of the guava paste (about 1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese per pastry).
• Remove the second sheet of puff pastry from the refrigerator, and roll it out into an 8-by-11-inch rectangle, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Lay the second sheet of puff pastry on top of the first. Using the side of your palm, press around and between the mounds of filling, pressing out any excess air, and to glue the top pastry to the bottom, creating 8 even, rectangular pockets. Paint the top sheet of puff pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle the surface with sugar.
• Using a knife or bench scraper, cut out and separate the 8 pastelitos following the original grid in between the indentations in the dough. Trim the perimeter to neaten the rectangles. The dough should still be cool to the touch; if it is warm, return the pastelitos to the refrigerator on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up before baking.
• Bake pastelitos until puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.