Best 5 Guava Cheese Turnovers Guava Pastelillos Recipes

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Guava cheese turnovers, or "pastelitos de queso y guayaba," are a traditional pastry in many Latin American countries, especially in Colombia, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico. Their deliciously flaky and crispy exterior conceals a creamy guava filling balanced with a sweet cream cheese filling. This delightful combination of flavors can be enjoyed as a snack or dessert and is a great way to end a meal. Guava pastries are also a treat that can be made at home, and with a few simple steps and a bit of time, you can enjoy this delicious treat with your friends and family.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

PASTELILLOS DE GUAYABA (GUAVA CHEESE PASTRIES)



Pastelillos de Guayaba (Guava Cheese Pastries) image

Panaderías in Puerto Rico are magical. Their brightly lit glass cases are lined with fresh-baked bread and rich pastries, begging you to order too many. As a child, I clamored for pastelillos (also called pastelitos) de guayaba. The pastries typically have a flaky crust and are filled with a generous smear of concentrated guava paste - an embodiment of tropical Caribbean flavor - and often with cheese, served glazed or dusted with powdered sugar. In East Harlem, or El Barrio, New York's historic Puerto Rican enclave where I lived for some time, I discovered Valencia Bakery on East 103rd Street, which made a bite-size version with a generous amount of confectioners' sugar, creating a portal between the island and my new home. My recipe is inspired by theirs. These are excellent with coffee, and will keep for several days, benefiting from a reheat in the oven.

Provided by Von Diaz

Categories     snack, finger foods, pastries, dessert, side dish

Time 1h30m

Yield 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 (17.3-ounce) package puff pastry (2 sheets)
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk of choice, including oat milk or other nondairy milks
7 ounces guava paste, cut into 16 (1/4-inch) square or rectangular slices
6 ounces queso fresco en hoja or farmer cheese, cut into 16 (1/4-inch) slices
2 to 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Steps:

  • Set out puff pastry to thaw for 40 minutes at room temperature.
  • Once pastry is thawed, line a 12-by-17-inch baking sheet with 2 pieces of parchment paper. (The double layer helps to protect your pan when you're cutting the puff pastry.) Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Prepare your egg wash by whisking egg and milk together. Keep it handy.
  • Lay one layer of puff pastry on top of parchment paper on the baking sheet. Make a 4-by-4 grid of guava stacked with cheese, spaced evenly, leaving about 1 inch of space in between. Top with the second puff pastry sheet.
  • Using a pizza cutter, slice the puff pastry into 16 equal pieces, touching the top lightly to determine where to slice. It's OK if you don't do a perfect job; these are especially good when the guava spills out and caramelizes along the edges. (And don't worry too much about getting the cut exact, or pieces being odd sizes. It gives them character.)
  • Working quickly, use a fork to crimp all four edges twice on each side, then arrange them evenly on the baking sheet, leaving space between each. Brush the tops and edges lightly with the prepared egg wash and place baking sheet in the center of the oven.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until pastelillos are beautifully golden brown, flaky and puffy.
  • Out of the oven, let pastelillos rest for at least 10 minutes before eating. (Guava is molten hot and will burn your mouth, badly.)
  • Once they've cooled, sprinkle with confectioners' sugar to taste. They can be eaten warm or at room temperature, and will keep for several days in an airtight container. Heat leftovers in the oven for 5 minutes at 350 degrees to bring back their crispness.

GUAVA CHEESE TART



Guava Cheese Tart image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     dessert

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

6 ounces (3/4 cup) cream cheese, at room temperature
l cup grated panela or dry-curd farmer cheese
2 (1/2-pound) pieces puff pastry, each cut into a 12-inch circle
1 egg, lightly beaten
2/3 cup guava paste or other fruit jam or puree mixed with 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Steps:

  • Place the cream cheese and panela or farmer cheese in a bowl and mix well with a spoon.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place l of the puff pastry circles on the baking sheet. Brush a 1-inch rim around the outside edge with some of the beaten egg. Pat the cheese mixture into an 8-inch circle in the center and spread the guava paste or jam evenly over the top.
  • Fold the remaining piece of puff pastry in half and place over the first piece. Unfold the pastry to enclose the filling, being careful not to trap air beneath. Gently press the top and bottom edges together and refrigerate about 25 minutes, or until the dough is thoroughly chilled.
  • Remove from the refrigerator. Working about 1 1/2-inches from the outside, firmly press the edges of pastry together with the tines of a fork to seal. Then trim the excess dough, leaving an even 1-inch border of crust surrounding the filling. With a sharp paring knife, cut out and discard a 1/4-inch circle of dough from the center, and press out any trapped air. Then, making shallow cuts, trace 6 to 8 circular lines in a spiral pattern from the center hole to the inside edge of the sealed crust (if the dough gets too warm to work with, just return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so to harden).
  • Mix the heavy cream, with the remaining beaten egg and brush over the top of the tart: Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
  • To bake, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Transfer the pan from refrigerator to the oven and bake 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown on top. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Bake until the jelly is bubbling and the bottom crust, when lifted with a spatula, is browned, 30 to 40 minutes. Set aside to cool on a rack to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

MIAMI GUAVA PASTRIES (PASTELITOS)



Miami Guava Pastries (Pastelitos) image

This is the recipe for traditional Cuban/Puerto Rican pastries that can only be found in some places. Our family goes crazy for them! Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

Provided by geekchic99

Categories     World Cuisine Recipes     Latin American     Caribbean

Time 40m

Yield 10

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, or as needed
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons strawberry jam
1 (8 ounce) jar guava paste, or as desired

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly flour a baking sheet.
  • Roll puff pastry into a thin sheet on a floured surface. Cut into squares about the length of your hand and place on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Beat egg and water together in a bowl; brush each pastry square with egg wash. Stab each square a few times with a fork.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool at least 10 minutes.
  • Mix guava paste and jam together in a bowl until smooth.
  • Cut a large, vertical slit into each pastry. Spread 1 tablespoon guava mixture into each slit, making sure guava doesn't squeeze out when closed.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 221.6 calories, Carbohydrate 31.9 g, Cholesterol 18.6 mg, Fat 9.7 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 2.5 g, SaturatedFat 2.5 g, Sodium 67.6 mg, Sugar 3.8 g

GUAVA AND CREAM CHEESE TWISTS



Guava and Cream Cheese Twists image

In Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean, pastelillos (also known as pastelitos) are flaky pastry turnovers that taste like bliss when eaten fresh from the bakery, their jammy guava centers fused with creamy cheese. These cookies capture a bit of that magic in packable, sturdy sweets that can be kept for days and easily shared or shipped. Instead of being filled with perishable cream cheese, these have it blended into their buttery dough to incorporate that tangy richness. Guava paste seals into the pastry while baking, delivering a chewy fruitiness with each bite.

Provided by Genevieve Ko

Time 2h

Yield About 50 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 8

1/2 cup/113 grams unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces/116 grams cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 large egg, yolk and white separated
1 cup/130 grams all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling dough
11 1/3 ounces/320 grams guava paste (see Tip)
Sparkling sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Steps:

  • Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed or a large bowl and wooden spoon, beat butter and cream cheese until creamy and smooth. With the machine running, add sugar and salt, and continue beating until a little fluffy. Add egg yolk and beat until incorporated. (Reserve egg white.) Add flour all at once and mix just until incorporated. Halve the dough, and place each half on plastic wrap. Using the plastic wrap, press each half into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Wrap tightly and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
  • When ready to bake, cut guava paste into 50 1/4-inch-thick rectangles (2 inches long, ½-inch wide). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • On a generously floured surface, using a well-floured rolling pin, roll out 1 dough rectangle until roughly 15 1/2 inches long, 6 1/2 inches wide and 1/8-inch thick. Trim the edges, then cut into 24 (2 1/2-by-1 1/2-inch) rectangles. (You will have 48 rectangles from the initial rolling; the final two rectangles will come from rolled-out scraps.) Transfer to a prepared sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. If the dough has gotten too soft to handle, refrigerate until firmer but still very pliable.
  • Place a guava paste rectangle in the center of each piece of dough on a diagonal. (It should not extend past the dough.) Take the dough corner opposite the top of a guava rectangle and wrap it over the guava paste so that the point meets the opposite edge; press the dough corner gently to secure. Take the corner diagonally opposite to the folded one and fold over the other end of the guava paste, pressing the corner gently against the other edge. Repeat with the remaining dough and guava paste. Chill and reroll dough scraps. If the assembled dough is soft, and you'd like to decorate the tops, chill or freeze again.
  • For a sparkly, crunchy and sweet top, lightly brush the top of the dough with the reserved egg white and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. (These taste just as good without any topping.) Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until golden brown around the edges, 13 to 15 minutes. (The paste may ooze out.) Cool completely on the sheets on wire racks. The cookies are best the day they're made, but will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

GUAVA TURNOVERS--EASY TO IMPRESS--LITTLE WORK (RACHAEL RAY)



Guava Turnovers--Easy to Impress--Little Work (Rachael Ray) image

These are wonderful little tropical treats that look like you've slaved all day--guests would be surprised to know how quickly and easily these come together! For a taste of the tropics, try Daisy Martinez's recipe, published in Everyday with Rachael Ray. Guava paste is made by Goya and can be found in most supermarkets in the Latin American section.

Provided by pamela t.

Categories     Dessert

Time 50m

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 eight oz package cream cheese
4 ounces guava paste
1 large egg
1 teaspoon water
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place a 1 foot long sheet of parchment paper on a work surface and place 1 sheet of puff pastry on top.
  • Roll out pastry to 9 1/2" square; cut into 4 smaller squares.
  • Cut cream cheese into 8 equal slices.
  • Cut guava paste into 8 equal slices.
  • Lay 1 piece each of the cream cheese and guave paste diagonally in the center of each pastry square.
  • Mix egg and 1 t water.
  • Brush pastry edges with egg mixture; fold pastry sheet over to form a triangle.
  • Pinch the edges to seal; crimp with a fork.
  • Repeat steps with second pastry sheet.
  • Arrange the turnovers on the baking sheet; brush with egg mixture.
  • Bake until puffy and golden, 15-20 minutes.
  • Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, stir together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
  • Drizzle glaze over cooled turnovers.

Tips:

  • Use ripe guavas: This will ensure that your guava cheese filling is sweet and flavorful.
  • Don't overcook the guava paste: It should be thick and spreadable, but not too dry.
  • Use a light hand when rolling out the dough: You don't want it to be too thick, or your turnovers will be tough.
  • Be careful not to overfill the turnovers: Too much filling will make them difficult to seal and they may burst open during baking.
  • Brush the turnovers with egg wash before baking: This will give them a golden brown color and help them to seal.
  • Serve the turnovers warm or at room temperature: They are best enjoyed fresh out of the oven, but they can also be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Conclusion:

Guava cheese turnovers are a delicious and easy-to-make treat that are perfect for any occasion. They are made with a simple dough that is filled with a sweet and tangy guava cheese filling. These turnovers are then baked until they are golden brown and flaky. Guava cheese turnovers are a popular snack in many Latin American countries, and they are also becoming increasingly popular in the United States. If you are looking for a new and exciting treat to try, be sure to give guava cheese turnovers a try. They are sure to be a hit with your family and friends.

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