Pastelitos de Guayaba {Guava & Cream Cheese Pastries}

Woo-hoo... it's the weekend! This entire week I've squeezed as much relaxation as I possibly could during the weekend because the weekend ahead is a busy one again for me. What plans do you have? Any fun eats for you in the horizon? Hopefully you'll enjoy something cool and creamy since Sunday is National Ice Cream Day! But until then, I do have something sweet to share. Since I tend to share something sweet on Fridays, here's the last dish to share from our recent Havana Nights Cooking Party. These Pastelitos de Guayaba combine a favorite pairing of guava paste and cream cheese tucked inside layers of flaky puff pastry. Enjoy this with a hot cup of cafe con leche or a shot of espresso to start off your morning, Cuban style...

In Cuban cuisine, guava is a common and popular fruit. In many Cuban kitchens, it won't be surprising to find a tin of guava paste because it's commonly used as a spread for breakfast just as many use jams and jellies. Guava paste is much denser and can easily be cut into slices or wedges, then slathered on toasted bread. In Cuban bakeries, you'll even notice how guava is used in pastries like in this recipe. To find guava paste, look in Latin markets and some supermarket chains do carry them too. They will either come packaged in a round tin or plastic container, or sometimes in a long brick.

Pastelitos de Guayaba
recipe adapted from Hispanic Kitchen

1 package of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry Sheets

Guava paste, 1/3 of a 14 oz package

4 oz Cream cheese

Cut the guava paste and cream cheese into 1 inch pieces. Set aside.

Lightly dust a clean, smooth surface with flour. Roll out the thawed pastry dough. Have a small cup of water handy to moisten the edges if needed.

Cut the dough into nine squares. (18 if you are using both sheets of dough).

Place a piece of guava and a piece of cream cheese on each square.

Take the corner of each square and fold it over, forming a triangle. Press down on the edges so the triangle stays closed. 

Place all pastelitos on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden.