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Pastelitos de guayaba
Flaky Havana-style guava and cream cheese pastries
Pastelitos de guayaba are the flaky puff pastry squares sold warm from the glass cases of Cuban bakeries, eaten standing up with a café cubano mid-morning. Havana bakers fill them with dense guava paste, often with a layer of cream cheese (de guayaba y queso), and brush the tops with sugar syrup so they shine. Shop-bought all-butter puff pastry makes them easy at home. Chef's tip: chill the filled tray for 15 minutes before baking; cold pastry rises higher and the filling is less likely to leak.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 9
Ingredients
For the pastries
For the syrup
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Line a large tray with baking paper.
Step 2: Unroll one sheet of 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry on the tray and cut into 9 squares, leaving them in place. Put a slice of 9 oz guava paste and a teaspoon of 4 oz cream cheese in the centre of each square.
Step 3: Brush the pastry edges with a little 1 egg. Lay the second sheet on top, press down firmly around each mound of filling with your fingertips, then cut through both layers into 9 squares and crimp the edges with a fork.
Step 4: Brush the tops with egg, cut a small slit in each and chill for 15 minutes.
Step 5: Bake until puffed and deep golden brown, with crisp layers at the sides, 18–22 minutes. A common mistake is taking them out when pale; underbaked puff pastry stays doughy inside.
20 minStep 6: Meanwhile boil 1 ¾ oz sugar and 3 ½ tbsp water in a small pan over a medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the syrup bubbles, 2 minutes.
2 minStep 7: Brush the hot pastries with syrup as soon as they leave the oven. Cool for 10 minutes before eating; the guava is molten hot at first.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 38 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pastelitos de guayaba take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 9 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of cream cheese?
- Mascarpone, same amount.
- What can I use instead of egg?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
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