Quesitos (Sweet Cream Cheese Pastries)
By
Von Diaz
Quesitos (Sweet Cream Cheese Pastries)
A Puerto Rican bakery classic, these flaky pastries filled with sweetened cream cheese are easy to make at home Like much of the island’s best food, these simple pastries reflect a range of cultural influences, including Cuban pastelitos de queso, and it’s their simplicity that makes them timeless You can find them in bakeries across the island as well as in the states, with variations like guava, chocolate, bacon and even plant-based cheese
Yield
12
Time
75 minutes
Rating
5
Ingredients
2 (8-ounce) blocks cream cheese, softened
½ teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
½ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) or 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar or honey, plus more sugar for sprinkling
1 egg
1 (14- to 17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed but still cold (see Tips)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
Instructions
Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
Make the filling: Mix cream cheese, vanilla, salt and sugar (or honey) in a mixing bowl with a fork until evenly blended. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a 1-inch-wide tip or to a resealable plastic freezer bag and snip a 1-inch hole in one corner (see Tips).
Step 3
Make the egg wash: In a small bowl, vigorously beat the egg and 1 tablespoon cold water with a fork until well blended.
Step 4
Prepare the pastry: Transfer puff pastry to a cutting board or a clean countertop, floured side down. You will need 2 sheets. If you have only one, cut it in half. Roll each sheet with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 15-by-10-inch rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or long sharp knife, cut each sheet into six 5-inch squares by slicing lengthwise through the center, then widthwise evenly in thirds. If the pastry has softened, refrigerate again until firm.
Step 5
Pipe a line of filling horizontally across the center of each square, leaving 1/2 inch on the sides. Fold the bottom fully over the filling, then lightly brush the top with egg wash using a pastry brush. Fold the other side over, flip the pastry over seam side down and transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Crimp the short edges with a fork to seal in the filling. Repeat with remaining pastry and filling, spacing the quesitos 2 inches apart.
Step 6
Brush egg wash over each quesito, then sprinkle each with ½ teaspoon of sugar.
Step 7
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, switching the positions of the pans halfway through, until they are toasty brown. Let rest for at least 5 minutes before eating, if you can stand it.

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