Quesitos Food

QUESITOS (PUERTO RICAN CHEESE-STUFFED PUFF PASTRY)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut cream cheese into 1/4-inch thick slices; place cut side-down on a board and cut into logs.
• Place 1 cup sugar into a small bowl; place cream cheese logs into sugar and roll to coat. Set aside.
• Cut each puff pastry sheet evenly into 3 to 4 squares, no bigger than 5 to 6 inches each. Place 1 square in front of you with 1 corner pointing down. Place 1 sugar-covered cheese log about 1/3 up from the bottom corner; proceed to fold pastry around it in the same manner as an egg roll, with the bottom corner over cheese, side corners towards the center, then roll from bottom, up. Brush some water in the last corner to seal roll.
• Place quesito on the prepared pan, seam-side down. Repeat with all squares, making sure there is at least 1-inch between them.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Brush tops with corn syrup.

PINEAPPLE QUESITO

Steps:

• To make the quesitos:
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
• In saucepan melt the butter over medium heat; add the brown sugar, pineapple and vanilla bean, with the seeds. Cook until the pineapple is tender and the juices have thickened to a syrup. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly while you make the cheese filling.
• To make cheese filling: In a bowl mix together the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
• Cut the puff pastry into 4- to 5-inch squares, depending on the size of the puff pastry sheet you have. Spread the cheese filling in the middle of each piece of pastry.
• Place the pineapples over the cheese filling. Brush the points of the pastry with the egg wash. Fold one side over the filling, and then tuck the other point under the pastry, to create a roll.
• Tuck the points under the filled pastry, which will puff up high and keep the filling in the center.
• Brush with more egg wash and sprinkle generously with sugar.
• Bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. You may have to rotate the two trays, top to bottom and back to front, to make sure they are baking evenly. They will be light and puffy when they are done. Allow them to cool.
• Dust with confectioners' sugar.
• They are fantastic with a cup of coffee.