Guava and Cream Cheese Pastelitos (Print)

Golden puff pastry pockets filled with sweet guava and cream cheese. Ready in 35 minutes.

# Components:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 package (14 oz) puff pastry sheets, thawed

→ Filling

02 - 5.3 oz guava paste, cut into thin slices
03 - 3.5 oz cream cheese, softened

→ Topping

04 - 1 large egg, beaten for egg wash
05 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, optional for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Roll out puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Cut each sheet into 8 equal rectangles, yielding 16 total pieces.
03 - Place 8 pastry rectangles on the prepared baking sheet.
04 - On each rectangle, place one thin slice of guava paste and approximately 1 tablespoon of softened cream cheese, maintaining a border around all edges.
05 - Brush the edges with water. Top each filled rectangle with a second pastry piece and press edges firmly to seal.
06 - Use a fork to crimp the sealed edges. Gently score the tops with a knife to allow steam escape during baking.
07 - Brush the top surface with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar if desired.
08 - Bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown and puffed.
09 - Allow to cool slightly before serving warm or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast between crackling buttery pastry and that soft sweet guava filling hits every pleasure center at once
  • They come together in under 40 minutes but taste like something you waited all day for
  • The way your kitchen smells while these bake is better than any fancy candle Ive ever bought
02 -
  • Water on the edges seals better than egg wash which actually prevents the pastry from sticking to itself properly
  • These freeze beautifully raw flash freeze them on a baking sheet then store in a bag and bake straight from frozen add 3 minutes
03 -
  • Work quickly once the pastry starts to soften it becomes impossible to handle and your beautiful rectangles turn into sad floppy shapes
  • If your guava paste is too hard to slice microwave it for exactly 8 seconds then try again
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