Guava and Cream Cheese Pastelitos

# What You'll Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 1 package (about 14 oz) puff pastry sheets, thawed

→ Filling

02 - 5 oz guava paste, cut into thin slices

03 - 3.5 oz cream cheese, softened

→ Topping

04 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash

05 - 1 tbsp granulated sugar, optional for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

02 - Roll out the puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Cut each sheet into 8 equal rectangles, 16 total.

03 - Place half the rectangles on the prepared baking sheet.

04 - On each rectangle, place a thin slice of guava paste and about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese, leaving a border around the edges.

05 - Brush the edges with a little water. Top each with another rectangle of pastry, pressing the edges to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges and gently score the tops with a knife for steam to escape.

06 - Brush the tops with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar if using.

07 - Bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden and puffed.

08 - Let cool slightly before serving.

# Helpful Hints:

01 -

The contrast between hot, gooey guava and cool cream cheese is absolutely magic
These come together in under 40 minutes but taste like you spent all day on them
Your house will smell incredible, which is basically dessert for your nose too

02 -

I once rushed the thawing process and ended up with flat, greasy pastries that made me so sad
Scoring the tops is crucial or theyll puff up into weird shapes and possibly burst open
These are honestly best eaten the same day, though good luck stopping anyone from eating them all immediately

03 -