Pastelitos de Guayaba (Cuban Guava and Cheese Pastries)
Local name: Pastelitos de guayaba
In short: Flaky puff pastry rectangles filled with sweet guava paste and cream cheese, baked until golden and sprinkled with sugar. A Cuban bakery classic. It takes about 50 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 335 kcal
Pastelitos de guayaba are the pastries found in every Cuban bakery, sold warm at the window with a cup of coffee. A rectangle of puff pastry is topped with a slice of firm guava paste and a spoonful of cream cheese, then folded, sealed and baked until blistered and golden. The sharp sweetness of guava against the tangy cheese is the whole idea. Store-bought puff pastry keeps the hands-on time to about twenty-five minutes.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment. Unfold the pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut each sheet into 6 rectangles.
- Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Lay a slice of guava paste on one half of each rectangle and top it with about 2 teaspoons of cream cheese.
- Brush the pastry edges with beaten egg. Fold the empty half over the filling, press the edges firmly together and crimp with a fork.
- Set the pastries on the baking sheet, brush the tops with egg, sprinkle with sugar and cut a small slit in each to let steam escape.
- Chill for 10 minutes if the pastry feels soft. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until deeply golden and puffed.
- Cool for 10 minutes before serving, since the filling is extremely hot. Serve warm.
Tips
- Guava paste is sold in blocks in Latin markets. If you cannot find it, thick guava jam cooked down for 5 minutes, or quince paste, will work.
- Do not overfill, or the filling leaks out. Use thin slices of guava paste and a small spoonful of cheese, and seal the edges well.
Questions and answers
What is guava paste?
A firm, sliceable sweet made from guava pulp and sugar, sold in blocks or cans as pasta de guayaba or goiabada. It is used in pastries, with cheese and as a spread.
Can I make pastelitos ahead of time?
Assemble them up to a day ahead and refrigerate, then bake just before serving. Baked pastelitos are best the same day and can be refreshed in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 5 minutes.
Can I freeze pastelitos de guayaba?
Yes. Freeze the unbaked, sealed pastries on a tray, then bag them for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 5 to 8 minutes.
How long does it take to make Pastelitos de Guayaba (Cuban Guava and Cheese Pastries)?
About 50 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Pastelitos de Guayaba (Cuban Guava and Cheese Pastries)?
About 335 kcal per serving, with 5 g of protein, 32 g of carbohydrates and 21 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 335 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 32 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 14 g |
| Sodium | 230 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
