Cream cheese and guava paste pastries

May 3, 2023  •  Category: ,

This flavor combo (cream cheese and guava paste) is one I recently discovered in Mexico. I was there just a few weeks ago for Spring break, and tried it once at my favorite coffee chain there. It was the stuffing in a roll (can’t remember what type of roll). Fabulous! The combo of the slightly tart creamy cheese with the sweet fruity berry tasting guayaba paste was to-die-for! The guava paste reminded me of the quince jelly we make in Lebanon. Come to think of it, why do we not think of this combo? (say with areeshe cheese or labneh??).


Anyway, musings aside, I decided to try and recreate this especially since I had to contribute pastries to a fundraiser to help the earthquake victims in Syria and Turkey.

I used puff pastry I bought, the best quality I could get my hands on, and I also used ready-made empanada circles with a puff pastry in the freezer section of my favorite Latino market. The clear winner (taste-wise) is the French-style puff pastry. The empanada dough package makes it super easy because the dough is precut and you can fill it in a snap. However, it is not as delicate in texture and flaky as the puff pastry.

I am finding out this is a very popular dessert in Brazil as well as other Latin and  Caribbean countries such as Cuba, Panama, where it is called pastelitos de guava or guayaba.

Cream cheese and guava paste pastries

Joumana Accad Mediterranean, Middle Eastern May 3, 2023 Sweet Pastries, Pastries/Breads, puff pastry, sweet pastry, cream cheese, empanada, guava paste, guayaba,

12 rolls servings

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

1 pkg cream cheese, at room temperature (8 ounces)

1 pkg of guava paste, at room temperature (8 ounces)

1 pkg of puff pastry, at room temperature (1 lb)

1 large egg, beaten with a tablespoon of cream or milk or water

 

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C)
  2. Roll out the puff pastry until it is thin (2 mm. or 1/8 inch) and score into squares (about 4 cm or 2 inches wide).
  3. Place one tablespoon of cream cheese and a small square of guava paste over the cheese
  4. Brush some egg wash all around the pastry
  5. Fold the pastry to form a triangle or fold all sides to form a pocket.
  6. Brush the surface with egg wash
  7. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown and puffy
  8. Cool a few minutes and serve lukewarm with a cup of coffee or tea.

Recipe Notes

The same technique is used with precut empanada dough. Follow the instructions on the package as I did and the results are foolproof.  I would estimate the number of servings and then use the amount of cheese and guava paste and pastry accordingly.



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Comments

8 Comments  •  Comments Feed

  1. Reply

    Cuqui Alvarez says:

    The guava and cream cheese empanada was created by Cubans not Mexicans.

    They may serve them in Mexico but they are not originally from there they are Cuban empanadas o pastelitos, if they are made with philo or puff pastry which is they were originally created and then came the empanada.

    I know, I am Cuban and I love them both, have been eating them all of my 80 years.

    Thank you for letting me explain the origin of this delicious treat. Just wanted to set the record straight.

    On May 19, 2023 at 1:59 am

  2. Reply

    Velva says:

    Hi Joumana, I grew up in South Florida. Guava and cream cheese pastries were a staple served along a cafe con leche. This would be a champion’s breakfast to keep you wired for sound all day (laugh). Your recipe brought me back to a special time.

    Hope you are doing well.

    Velva

    On May 23, 2023 at 3:28 pm

  3. Reply

    Alphabet says:

    What a mouthwatering article! Really i love those pastries with guava and cheese.

    On July 4, 2023 at 7:51 pm

  4. Reply

    marlene says:

    I haven’t been feeling well lately for obvious reasons ( hello international and local politics) but today I woke up feeling particularly bad and been trying all day to distract myself , not so easy. Then you popped into my mind and I suddenly remembered the old days of blogging and how good it made me feel years ago to read your blog. When my father was dying of cancer in 2014 at the tender age of 57, I was a zombie . You helped me go through those months of insomnia , anxiety, depression , loneliness . And today I came back to say hello and have a chat with an old friend . I used to read your blog for hours and hours , trying to imagine what your kitchen looked like and here I am again . I hope you are doing well.

    On June 29, 2024 at 3:48 pm

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