We love easy pastries made with frozen puff pastry! If you have some in your freezer, be sure to also check out our Easy Blackberry Turnovers or for a savory option this Asparagus Tart. I have been dying to share this ridiculously simply guava pastry recipe with you. I’m using it to kick off Florida Week as part of my American Eats series. Which is apparently going to be more like Cuba week because when I was researching the foods that Florida is well-known for, most of foods mentioned were Cuban in origin! If you have been following this series, you will notice a trend that the iconic foods of some states tend to be related to the regional dishes and flavors of the cultures that make up a big percentage of the population. Like Italian meatballs and stromboli in Connecticut and Delaware, where the American-Italian population is significant. Or Baja fish tacos for California, thanks to the proximity to the Baja peninsula and the heavy influence of Mexican cuisine. For Florida, that means a big Cuban influence. And for starters, I’m sharing these incredible guava cream cheese Cuban pastries known as pastelitos de guayaba, or more simply, just pastelitos. They are stuffed so full of cream cheese and sweet tropical guava paste that each bite of flaky puff pastry oozes with the delicious, warm filling. They are really similar to blackberry turnovers, just with a slightly different flavor profile!
Pastelitos de Guayaba
The last time I was in Florida was during law school when I went with a team of 5 other law students from BYU to represent our school at a Moot Court competition. I remember eating Cuban food one night with my friends while prepping for oral arguments. It seems like there is a Cuban bakery on almost every corner in Miami where you can get these delicious guava pastelitos. Pastelitos de Guayaba aren’t jelly donuts but they sort of remind me of them in the sense of being a rich, soft dough surrounding a soft, jelly-like fruit filling. These easy breakfast pastries are a cinch to make. The only tricky thing can be tracking down one key ingredient – guava paste. I happen to live in the California Bay Area and therefore have pretty amazing access to almost any ingredient in the world. It was as easy as going to my local Latin market and picking up my favorite brand of guava paste (by Goya, although Conchita is another popular brand). It’s called “pasta de guayaba” in Spanish. But then I noticed some at Sprouts. And I’ve even seen it at really well-stocked grocery stores in their Latin foods aisle. Whole Foods sometimes carries it too. A single can of guava paste is enough for 2 batches of these pastelitos de guayaba. Or use the other half to make guava frosting!
What is guava paste?
Guava paste is a really thick, dense puree of guava that has been cooked down with sugar. It can be sliced into chunks and is a bit thicker and less gelatinous than jellied cranberry sauce. Guava paste typically comes either in cans or sometimes in little bricks wrapped in plastic. It’s used a lot in Cuban, Caribbean, and some South American cuisines and tastes very tropical, intensely fruity, and almost subtly floral flavor, sort of like a cross between a strawberry and a pear, but with a distinct, exotic quality that is difficult to describe.
How to Make Guava Cream Cheese Cuban Pastries
Tips for the Best Guava Pastry
These delicious Cuban pastries are best served fresh, but be careful as the guava filling can get really, really hot. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Microwave them for about 10 seconds to reheat.I like to sprinkle these guava cream cheese pastries with coarse sparkling sugar for a little crunch on top. But they are wonderful plain or dusted with powdered sugar instead.I almost always have a package or two of frozen puff pastry in my freezer. They are great for things like these easy pastries, making brie en croute, or countless other uses. Stock up when they go on sale to have them on hand for year-round entertaining. Just pull them out of the freezer about 45 minutes before using so they can thaw.
More Recipes Using Guava Paste
Guava BBQ SauceGuava FrostingGuava BarsGuava Cream Cheese BabkaGuava Cheesecake
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
