Guava & “Cheese” Pastries (Cuban Pastelitos)
When I visited my cousins in LA, Porto’s Bakery was my Disney Land! You walk into the enormous bakery and immediately welcomed by a plethora of baked goods like pastries, cookies, croquetas, cakes and more. It’s packed with people lined up to try all the amazing treats. This is where I first tried guava cheese rolls, a Cuban favorite. Traditionally made with puff pastry, cream cheese and guava paste..NOT vegan at all. BUT have no fear! I decided that if i’m trying to make the effort to move toward a plant-based diet, I refuse to give up some of my old favorites. So here I am today. I had to make these guava cheese, cuban pastelitos VEGAN STYLE!
Check out the recipe video below and full ingredients list.
INGREDIENTS
2 packages vegan puff pastry (can find at most grocery stores) or here https://amzn.to/2VMtJzG
1 package vegan cream cheese https://amzn.to/3ourtJI
1 package guava paste https://amzn.to/37FD95J
2 TBS sugar mixed with 1 TBS corn starch
Wash
2 TBS plant milk with 1 teaspoon agave or maple syrup
Sugar Glaze
Mix 2 TBS boiling hot water with 1 TBS sugar and mix. You can do this in a sauce pan or microwave together…basically you just want to create a simple syrup
DIRECTIONS
First lightly roll out two sheets of vegan puff pastry horizontally and vertically. Then cut into 8 even rectangles
Mix vegan cream cheese with sugar and corn starch mix. The corn starch substitutes the egg that helps stabilize the cream cheese. Mix until creamy and yummy
Spread evenly on each rectangle sheet
Then add about 3 slices of guava paste on each rectangle.
Top with another layer of puff pastry and seal the edges with a bit of water on your fingers
Lightly score the tops of the pastries with a knife to create air pockets to help the pastry rise
Brush the tops with any vegan milk mixed with agave or maple syrup. This gives the pastry a golden brown color
Bake at 400 for about 15 min or until lightly golden.
Lightly glaze the tops with a syrup made with hot water and sugar mixed. This gives it some extra shine.
And now you’re ready to enjoy with a little cafecito.
