Best 5 Miami Guava Pastries Pastelitos Recipes
The guava pastries known as pastelitos de guayaba are a delectable treat that encapsulates the vibrant flavors of Miami's Cuban cuisine. Whether enjoyed as a morning pastry, a sweet afternoon snack, or a delectable dessert, these golden pastries offer a delightful burst of guava and cream cheese filling enveloped in flaky puff pastry. Pastelitos have become iconic symbols of Miami's rich cultural heritage, and their popularity has spread far beyond the city's borders. With countless variations, each offering its own unique twist on the classic recipe, embarking on a culinary journey to discover the best pastelito recipe can be a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. This article aims to guide you through the intricacies of creating the perfect pastelito, unraveling the secrets of the perfect pastry crust, the ideal filling ratio, and the techniques that transform these ingredients into a harmonious symphony of flavors.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
PASTELITOS - GUAVA AND CHEESE PASTRIES
In Caribbean countries, especially Cuba, flaky pastries called Pastelitos are eaten for breakfast, as snacks and for dessert. These delicious pastries can be stuffed with so many types of fillings, from savory beef, chicken or ham to sweet pineapple, mango or guava.Here, puff pastry dough is filled with tropical GOYA® Guava paste and sweetened cream cheese for a traditional, beloved treat. Sprinkle with granulated sugar before cooking for a sweet, crunchy coating, or dust with powdered sugar after the pastries are baked and cooled for a snowy look and sweet taste.
Time 45m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Step 1 Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Cut guava paste into thin slices (about ¼"-½" thick). Cut slices into 2"-long rectangles (you should have 6 rectangles); set aside. In medium mixing bowl, using spatula, stir together cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until well combined; set aside. Step 2 Transfer frozen puff pastry dough to cutting board, keeping rounds of dough stacked. Using sharp knife, cut off rounded edges to form square shape. Peel off plastic wrap from each layer. Using rolling pin, roll dough squares, one at a time, until ½" larger all around. Step 3 Place square of dough on work surface. Add 1 piece guava paste and heaping tablespoon of cream cheese mixture. Using pastry brush, brush edges of dough with egg wash. Place second dough square on top of guava and cheese; gently press edges to seal. Brush top of dough with egg wash. Using small sharp knife, make 3 shallow cuts (about 1" long) on top of dough. Sprinkle dough with 1 tsp. sugar, if desired. Transfer pastry to prepared pan. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Transfer pan to refrigerator until dough is chilled. Step 4 Bake pastries until golden brown and puffed, 22-25 minutes. Transfer pastries to cooling rack; cool to room temperature; dust with confectioners' sugar, if desired.
PASTELITOS (GUAVA AND CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES)
In Havana - and in Cuban neighborhoods across the U.S. - pastry shops make many types of cakes and cookies, but the best-sellers are always the pastels and pastelitos, flaky pastries filled with meat, cheese, coconut custard or guava jam. According to "Paladares: Recipes from the Private Restaurants, Home Kitchens, and Streets of Cuba" by Anya von Bremzen (Abrams, 2017), the shape of the pastel correlates with the filling: Triangular pastels are filled with guava paste and cheese, while rectangular ones are filled with just guava. Versailles, a Cuban restaurant in Miami, follows this rule, but at home, just make them rectangular, and add a swipe of cream cheese if desired. You can find guava paste in bricks at Latin American grocers, or swap in about 1/2 cup jam or preserves for a nontraditional take.
Provided by Daniela Galarza
Categories snack, finger foods, pastries, dessert
Time 1h
Yield 8 pastelitos
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Prepare an egg wash: In a small bowl, beat the egg with a pinch of salt and set aside.
- 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 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese per pastry).
- 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.
- 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.
- Bake pastelitos until puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
MIAMI GUAVA PASTRIES (PASTELITOS)
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
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
MIAMI GUAVA PASTRIES (PASTELITOS)
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 Caribbean Recipes
Time 40m
Yield 10
Number Of Ingredients 6
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
PASTELILLOS DE GUAYABA (GUAVA CHEESE PASTRIES)
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
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.
Tips:
- Use ripe guavas: The riper the guavas, the sweeter and more flavorful the pastelitos will be.
- Don't overmix the dough: Overmixing the dough will make the pastelitos tough.
- Chill the dough before rolling it out: Chilling the dough will make it easier to roll out and prevent it from sticking to your hands.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the dough: A sharp knife will help you get clean, even cuts.
- Don't overcrowd the baking sheet: Make sure to leave enough space between the pastelitos on the baking sheet so that they can cook evenly.
- Bake the pastelitos until they are golden brown: The pastelitos are done baking when they are golden brown on top and cooked through in the center.
Conclusion:
Pastelitos are a delicious and easy-to-make treat that are perfect for any occasion. Whether you're serving them for breakfast, lunch, or dessert, your friends and family are sure to love them. So next time you're looking for a new recipe to try, give pastelitos a try. You won't be disappointed!
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