Guava Cheese Turnovers Guava Pastelillos Food

CHEESE AND GUAVA POCKETS

Steps:

• Working with 1 empanada wrapper at a time, cut the dough down the center to make 20 half circles.
• Onto 1 half of each half circle, leaving a narrow boarder around the rim to pinch, add 1/2-ounce each guava paste and queso blanco.
• Using a finger dipped in water, trace the edges of the half circles to moisten the dough. Fold uncovered half of the dough over the filling, making sure to press out all the air as you work. The final product should resemble a triangle with 1curved side. Using the tines of a fork, dipped in flour, if needed, crimp the sides to seal. Repeat with remaining 19 pastries.
• Heat 1-inch of oil in a heavy-bottom skillet to 360 degrees F.
• Fry the pastries, in batches, until golden, about 2 minutes. Flip and fry 2 minutes more. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain, then transfer to a serving platter. Dust with powdered sugar and drizzle with honey to serve.

PASTELITOS (GUAVA AND CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES)

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.

PASTELITOS - GUAVA AND CHEESE PASTRIES

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 DE GUAYABA + QUESO (GUAVA CHEESE PASTRIES!)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Thaw the puff pastry according to package directions, usually about 20-30 minutes. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
• Cut guava into thin slices. If using cream cheese, cut the block into slices too. Unfold one of the pastry sheets and place it on the cookie sheet.
• Place 6 slices of guava per pastry sheet fold about 1-2 inches apart (you'll have 18 slices total on the entire pastry sheet). Add cream cheese over guava paste slices (optional).
• Unfold the second pastry sheet and place it over the other one that now has the guava paste slices.
• Cut into 9 squares and score the tops of each one. No need to divide the squares. Leave everything intact. Brush egg wash on each one to get that flaky crust.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately and enjoy!

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

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.

PASTELITOS DE QUESO Y GUAYABA (GUAVA AND CHEESE PASTRIES)

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine the cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, and orange blossom water fluffy and smooth. Transfer mixture to a bowl and clean the food processor to use it again.
• In the same (clean) food processor, add the guava pasta and orange or lime juice and process until smooth.
• Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Unroll the first sheet of pastry on a lightly floured surface. If it's thicker than ⅛-inch thick, carefully roll it out to make it ⅛-inch thick. Using a small knife or pastry wheel, cut the dough to measure out 6 squares, 4-by-4-inches each.
• Add a tablespoon of the guava mixture topped with a tablespoon of cream cheese filling, off center, to each square. Brush the egg wash around the filling, fold the pastry into a triangle, and press the edges to seal. Press the tines of a fork around the sealed edges to ensure the pastry is well-sealed. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Transfer the filled pastries to the prepared baking sheets and refrigerate until firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
• While the pastries chill, preheat the oven to 400°F. Prepare the glaze by combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.
• Remove the chilled pastries from the refrigerator and brush the tops of the with egg wash, then bake until lightly golden, 25 to 35 minutes. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through baking time to ensure even browning.
• Remove from the oven and immediately brush the pastries with the simple syrup (you likely won't use all of it). Allow the pastries to rest for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.

GUAVA AND CREAM CHEESE TWISTS

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 CHEESE

Steps:

• Skin guavas and boil them in water in an aluminium pot until the guavas are just soft, not squishy. Remove from heat, drain off the water.
• When cool, halve the guavas and scoop out the seeds. Blend the halves to a pulp.
• Put in an aluminium pot and add sugar. Stir continuously on medium heat. After 15 minutes, add lime/lemon juice and food colour.
• Continue to stir till mixture thickens, leaves the sides of the pot and comes together like a ball.
• Grease a marble slab or wooden board as well as rolling pin. Turn out the mixture on to this surface and roll out till flat and smooth.
• Allow to cool a little and while still warm, cut into cubes or diamonds and let cool completely.
• Store in an airtight tin.

PASTELITOS DE GUAYABA Y QUESO (GUAVA AND CHEESE PASTRY)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Allow puff pastry to thaw for 15-20 minutes.
• Unroll puff pastry, remove paper, and layer both over each other.
• Cut pastry into 3 by following the indented lines. Rotate the puff pastry and cut 3 additional lines to create 9 squares.
• Set the top layer of the puff pastry to the side.
• Add 1-2 slices of guava to each pastry (depending on your taste for guava), top with 1-2 chunks of cream cheese.
• Before returning the puffs to cover the guava and cream cheese, with the point of a knife, go ahead and add 2-3 slits to each square.
• Top the pastries with remaining squares.
• Brush the tops of the pastries with the whisked eggs.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until pastry tops are golden and the edges are the tiniest hint of brown.
• Serve warm.

GUAVA CHEESE TURNOVERS (GUAVA PASTELILLOS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the sugar on your work surface to prevent the dough from sticking. Roll out each sheet of puff pastry to an 8 by 8-inch square. Using a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut each sheet into 4 squares.
• Make the turnovers: Set a pastry square in front of you with 1 of the corners pointing toward you. Place 1 piece of cream cheese diagonally over the center of the bottom of the square. Top with a piece of guava paste. Brush the edges of the square with beaten egg. Fold the upper half of the square over the filling to make a neat triangle. Crimp the edges with a fork. Repeat with the remaining turnovers, placing them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet as you go.
• Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.
• While the turnovers are baking, mix the confectioners' sugar with the milk and vanilla, stirring to dissolve any lumps. Set aside.
• Cool the turnovers on a rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then drizzle the glaze over them. Serve warm or at room temperature.

GUAVA CREAM CHEESE CUBAN PASTRIES (PASTELITOS DE GUAYABA Y QUESO)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Warm guava paste in a microwave safe bowl for 20 seconds. Stir until it's a spreadable consistency.
• In another bowl, stir softened cream cheese until smooth and spreadable.
• Beat the egg and water together in a separate bowl and set aside.
• Roll out one sheet of the puff pastry and cut into 4 equal squares using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
• In the middle of each square of puff pastry, spread about 1/8th of the cream cheese and guava paste, leaving a border around the edge of the puff pastry. Repeat with remaining squares and remaining sheet of puff pastry.
• Brush egg wash around the edge of each square. Fold each square in half, pressing the edges with a fork to seal the cream cheese and guava paste inside the pastry.
• Use a sharp knife to cut a slash in the top of each pastry so steam can escape while the pastries bake, then brush the top of each pastry with the remaining egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm.