Pastelito De Guayaba (Cuban Guava Pastry)

NcMysteryShopper's Note:

This is a childhood favorite that conjures up memories of growing up as a gringa in South Florida and sitting in the open air Cuban Cafes and indulging on these sweet pastries! These pastries are wonderful with a café con leche!! They were a special treat that we were allowed to have on occasion for breakfast. It is actually one of the few things I actually miss about South Florida! The recipe is from Felipe Valls.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 16

• 2 (16 ounce) cans guava shells in syrup
• 4 ounces water , plus more as needed for moisture
• 12 ounces unsweetened butter or 12 ounces lard
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 lb all-purpose flour
• 1 egg , beaten with
• 1 ounce water
• 1 ounce simple syrup (equal amount water and sugar, heated until sugar dissolves)

Directions:

1. In a blender or food processor, add all guava shells and half the syrup from one can; Process until it reaches a smooth consistency; Put puree in a medium saucepan and cook at low heat until reduced to a very thick consistency; Let guava cool and then fill into pastry bag.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, add 4 ounces of water, 2 ounces of butter, and salt and mix until smooth; Then add flour and work well until all ingredients are incorporated; Continue to add water, a little at a time, working the dough until a medium-hard consistency is reached; Form dough into a ball and let rest for 15 minutes; Roll the dough into a flat square, about 1/2-inch thick.
3. Place the remaining butter in the middle of square and pat down by hand to form a square about one-half the size of the dough square; Fold over the 4 corners of the dough, 1 at a time, overlapping each other so that a sealed envelope is formed enclosing the butter; Dust with flour and roll out to form a rectangle about 1/4-inch thick; Now fold 1/3 of the rectangle dough towards the middle and the remaining 1/3 over those 2; Let dough rest for 15 minutes; Now repeat process above of rolling out and folding in 3, 2 more times, resting 15 minutes between each.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Roll out a final time into a rectangle and fold ¼ of the dough on each side to the middle and then fold 1 more time down the middle to form 4 flaps in the fold; Let rest for 15 minutes; Roll out to a rectangle to about 1/8-inch thick; With a knife, cut the flattened dough into a 4-inch wide strip by length of your baking sheet; Lay strip on sheet pan lined with waxed paper and put filling lengthwise in the middle in continuous stream about 3/4-inch in diameter; Spray edges of strips with water and cover with another 4-inch strip of dough the same size as bottom; Press the edges together by hand very softly all the way around; Brush top with egg wash and bake for 35 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and brush with a simple syrup over the top and bake for another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and cut crosswise into 16 pieces.

Reviews

[Harley Quinn]

Mil gracias! I adore these, I could eat them everyday. I added some queso blanco to my filling. Que Rico!

[StacyMD187373]

I won't leave stars, since I'm not sure I didn't quite make the recipe exactly. I've never had pastelitos before, but this recipe was good. Seems like a lot of work, though, for what essentially was a pie crust...I did half the recipe and was not able at all to put a stick of butter on the dough in step 3? Overall, these were good, but probably won't make again.

[Chef #708484]

This recipe was awesome. Very much like the ones my Abuelito would bring me every Sunday morning with Pan Cubano & Cafe con leche...mmm mmm good!