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Quesitos de Guayaba

Name: Quesitos de Guayaba
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Puerto Rican
Ingredients: 10 squares of puff pastry, 4″ x 4″; 2 packages of cream cheese (16 oz); 1/4 cup of sugar; 1 tbsp of milk (optional); 1 package of guava paste (you can usually find it at the Latino aisle of the supermarket, Latino or Asian supermarkets or order online: https://amzn.to/3GCxbCZ); Honey; Non-Stick Spray

Jessica van Dop DeJesus

August 23, 2023

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For many of you who have been following the Dining Traveler, you know that quesitos are one of my all-time favorite treats. Even better than a quesito is a quesito to guayaba! Guayaba, known as guava in English, is one of my favorite tropical fruits. Last summer, I had the opportunity to learn how to make quesitos from Chef Xiomara Bermudez of Starbene Caffe at the Mall of San Juan in Puerto Rico. When I returned home, I started practicing her technique at home to curb my pastry cravings.

For this quesito de guayaba recipe, I chose to add guava paste for an extra nostalgic touch. These quesitos de guayaba are made the same way as regular quesitos – add the guava paste on top of the cream cheese mix. This recipe is very simple to make since most of the ingredients are pre-made. If you want to save your quesitos de guayaba after baking, you can refrigerate them once they’ve cooled down and reheat them later on in the microwave for 15 seconds.

Prepare The Ingredients for the Questitos de Guayaba

To start our prep work, we’re first going to preheat the oven to 350°F. Next, thaw the puff pastry according to package instructions and soften the cream cheese at room temperature for about 30 minutes. You can find puff pastry sheets in the frozen dessert aisle at any supermarket. While the puff pastry thaws and the cream cheese soften, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with a non-stick cooking spray.

Once the cream cheese is soft, mix it in a bowl with the sugar and a splash of milk. I use the splash of milk to soften the cream cheese/sugar mix. The guava paste I use for my quesitos de guayaba comes as a block, so I cut these into small strips, around 3 inches long and ¼ inch thick. Additionally, if your puff pastry comes in large sheets, cut those into 4-inch squares.

To Assemble The Quesitos

Lay the puff pastry in front of you in the shape of a diamond. Spoon about ¼ cup of the cream cheese mixture into the middle of the puff pastry. Place 1-2 strips of guava on top of the cream cheese. To make the quesito de guayaba, first, fold the two side corners in towards the center, then take the bottom edge closest to you and fold it up. Tuck it over the cream cheese, guava, and two side corners, and continue to roll to the end. Once it’s rolled, gently stretch and press the quesito out to elongate the pastry and distribute the cheese filling.

Final Touches

Place the quesitos de guayaba on your baking sheet and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until golden brown. While they’re still hot out of the oven, brush them with a bit of honey for a nice glaze. My favorite way to enjoy a quesitos is with a hot cafesito – enjoy!