Pastelitos (Guava and Cream Cheese Pastries)
Published March 25, 2020
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 large egg
Pinch of kosher salt
2 sheets frozen puff pastry (about 8 ounces each), defrosted and refrigerated
All-purpose flour, for rolling
5 ½ ounces/160 grams guava paste, cut into 8 even, rectangular slices, or ½ cup strawberry jam or other fruit jam or preserves
¾ cup/170 grams cream cheese, softened at room temperature (optional)
2 tablespoons granulated or turbinado sugar
Nutritional analysis per serving
44 grams carbs; 45 milligrams cholesterol; 466 calories; 14 grams monosaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 30 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 238 milligrams sodium; 6 grams protein; 14 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Step 2
Prepare an egg wash: In a small bowl, beat the egg with a pinch of salt and set aside.
- Step 3
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 ½ tablespoons cream cheese per pastry).
- Step 4
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.
- Step 5
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.
- Step 6
Bake pastelitos until puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Private Notes
Comments
Tried these out because I was craving my favorite pastelitos from Porto’s bakery, these turned out delicious! It also needed 20 minutes for me in the oven versus 15. I’d recommend during a thorough egg washing in order to get that golden coloring.
PLEASE do not sub out other jams or preserves for the guava. I mean I'm sure it would taste fine but there is absolutely no comparison to how delicious these are with the exact ingredients. :)
Make sure to create a slit at the top. If you have queso fresco instead, you can use that for a delicious alternative.
I made a double batch of these in one session and boy they were good! Doubling the recipe helped me use almost the entire can of Goya guava paste. Went through one stick of cream cheese (the last few only had guava paste and were just as tasty). The first batch I followed the recipe’s instructions to press and seal all the individual edges to make packets. These had very little leakage if any (I cut vents on both batches). The second batch I thought I would follow the commenter who said she never pressed the edges together and just stacked the second sheet of puff pastry on top of the filling. Those also came out very well with manageable/minimal leakage - plus it was a lot quicker to assemble. When I make these again, I’ll probably stick to sealing the edges because it allows you to reheat them in the toaster - and that is delish! They were a huge hit with everyone who tried them. Overall, this was a high scoring recipe for relatively easy inputs. 😊🤌🏼 Ps it’s true what they say, let these cool down!! The guava paste is literally magma right out of the oven - and even though it’s burning your tongue, it’s too late, you won’t be able to stop eating it. You’ve been warned!
This was so much easier than I expected and turned out great. I made the pieces half the size indicated so I got 16 from a sheet of puff pastry. The longer cooking time worked for me also. I sealed the edges with a fork – maybe not necessary, but it was my first time. No leaks.
Delicious! I used the wavy wheel on my pastry/pasta cutter to produce a nice edge. They are generously sized, and if I make them again, I may try to make them half the size, so that guests aren’t intimidated. Perfect for a cocktail party. They’ll end up having two anyway!