How To Make Christmas Pastelitos de Guayaba
During the holiday season homemade treats are everywhere. Maybe you have on office Christmas party, a cookie exchange with friends or a family gathering and this year you would like to do something a little different. I have your answer. Christmas pastelitos de guayabe (guava pastries). What makes these Christmas pastelitos de guayaba different from regular guava pastries you ask? I am going to go the extra mile and make the dough from scratch. I can hear you now, “Forget it!”
Wait, don’t leave yet. This “rough puff” dough recipe is super simple. This 5 ingredient recipe will leave you and everybody else amazed at how good it is. It’s so much better than store bought puff pastry dough, I promise.
I’ll be honest I did have a few failed attempts with different recipes until I found the best one to use and follow (thank you Sally’s Baking Addiction) so you don’t have to fail like I did and say I told you, “Forget it!”
What Is Rough Puff Pastry?
Rough puff pastry is also known as flaky pastry or quick pastry that is a thin and light unleavened (no yeast or baking powder) dough similar to puff pastry. Rough puff uses chunks of butter instead of a slab of butter when it is incorporated into the flour.
Recipe Tips
Use cold butter and ice cold water. If the butter is too warm it will break down too much and there won’t be any flaky layers. The butter will mix into the flour and when it cooks you will have more of a tart not layers. (This was my first fail – the butter was too warm and my pastelitos came out like a pop tart).
Use your hands to mix together. Using your hands will prevent you from breaking down the butter too much as well. If you lose the chunks of butter you will also lose the flaky layers. (This was my fail number 2 – I used a pastry cutter and broke down the butter too much).
Time and Prep. Don’t let the time scare you away from trying this rough puff pastry. Cube the butter first and keep it cold. The first step of combining the flour, butter and water will only take about 10 minutes. You can refrigerate the dough the first time for 2 – 24 hours if you need to and come back to it.
Watch and refer back to this video from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Christmas Pastelitos de Guayaba
Ingredients
Guava Filling
Rough Puff Pastry Dough
Egg and Sugar Wash + Topping
Instructions
Guava Filling
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In a blender add the 16oz can of guava shells and blend until smooth. Add in the lemon juice and blend until combined.
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Pour the guava mixture into a small sauce pot and cook on medium to medium low heat for 20-25 minutes. The guava mixture will darken a little bit as the sugars and fruit combine turning into a beautiful filling. Stir occasionally to prevent burning and sticking. Take off heat and let mixture cool completely before using.
Rough Puff Pastry Dough
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In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Add the cold cubed butter on top of the flour. Using your hands gently mix the butter into the flour. Do not break the butter down just start to incorporate the butter into the flour. (See video above)
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Begin adding ice cold water 1 tablespoon at a time. The flour will begin to look "shaggy" and crumbly. Do not break down the butter.
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By the 5th tablespoon of water the flour should start to get moist enough and begin coming together like dough. Again, do not break down the butter, keep the butter in chunks but still incorporate. (Keep referring to the video if needed.)
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If at any time the butter begins to feel too soft put the mixture back into the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes. Once all of the water has been added dump dough onto a floured surface. Mold the dough into a 5"x8" rectangle. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place into a tightly sealed container. Put into the refrigerator for 2 hours. You can leave the dough like this for up to 24 hours. I have done this first part in the morning and left it until the evening for fresh pastelitos for dessert.
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After at least 2 hours remove the dough from the refrigerator to a well floured surface. The dough is going to be rolled and folded for a total of 6 times. Begin rolling the dough out with a rolling pin. Roll it until you make a 6"x12" rectangle. Fold the dough again like a business letter. Turn the dough clockwise or a 1/4 turn once and begin rolling out until you get another 6"x12" rectangle. Fold the dough like a business letter for the second time. Each time you fold the dough turn it a 1/4 turn. Continue the process for a total of 6 times. (Refer to the above video if needed.)
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Fold the dough again like a business letter. Turn the dough clockwise or a 1/4 turn once and begin rolling out until you get another 6"x12" rectangle. Fold the dough like a business letter for the second time. Each time you fold the dough turn it a 1/4 turn. Continue the process for a total of 6 times. (Refer to the above video if needed.)
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After 6 rolls and folds wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap again and place in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Again, it can be left for another 24 hours if you need to. At this point you can also freeze the dough for up to one month. If frozen when you are ready to use let it thaw in the refrigerator before using. After 15 minutes remove from refrigerator and the dough is ready for use.
Pastelitos de Guayaba (Guava Pastries)
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In 2 small bowls prepare egg wash and corn syrup mixture. Roll out pastry dough onto parchment paper. Cut pastry dough into 3"x3" squares.
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Using a pastry brush, brush all sides of bottom squares with beaten egg wash. Put a spoonful of cooled guava mixture onto each bottom square. Cover each bottom square with top square of pastry dough. Using a fork seal the edges using the tines of the fork.
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Brush each pastry with egg wash and make a slit in the top for venting. Put pastries with the parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Put baking sheet into the refrigerator for 10 minutes. To keep flaky layers the dough must always be cold. If the butter melts while handling the layers will disappear.
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After 10 minutes remove pastries from the refrigerator and bake for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes quickly brush the top of pastries with corn syrup mixture and sprinkle with Christmas colored sugar crystals. Continue baking for 5-10 minutes until golden brown.
