Guava Pastelito Cupcakes Recipes

GUAVA CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
• Cream the softened butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract. In a large bowl, mix the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and then add the buttermilk. Finally, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until well incorporated.
• Fill the cupcake liners 3/4's of the way up. Add about 1 tsp of guava paste to each cupcake liner and press it down.
• Bake the cupcakes for 22 minutes.
• To make the cream cheese frosting, mix the softened cream cheese, softened butter, and guava paste until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and red food coloring. Mix for 3-4 minutes or until fluffy.

GUAVA PASTELITO CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 16 cupcake cups with paper liners.
• Cut guava paste into medium squares and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Whisk until melted down but still slightly chunky, about the consistency of jelly (heat more if necessary).
• Beat brown sugar, butter, and eggs together with a mixer in a large bowl until creamy. Add flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt; stir until halfway mixed. Pour in guava nectar and mix until everything is fully incorporated. Fold in heated guava paste until evenly distributed. Mix in red food coloring.
• Fill each prepared cupcake cup evenly with batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• While the cupcakes are cooling, blend cream cheese, butter, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and red food coloring. Mix on low speed until fully blended. Chill for 10 to 15 minutes. Frost cooled cupcakes.

PASTELITOS (GUAVA AND CREAM CHEESE PASTRIES)

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Prepare an egg wash: In a small bowl, beat the egg with a pinch of salt and set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll one sheet of puff pastry into an 8-by-12-inch rectangle roughly the size of a standard sheet of paper. (Keep the other puff pastry sheet in the refrigerator.) Dust off any excess flour and lay the rolled pastry sheet on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Dip a pastry brush into the egg wash, and paint a line in lengthwise along the center of the pastry sheet, followed by three crosswise lines, evenly spaced, forming a grid of 8 rectangles, each approximately 3 inches wide and 4 inches long. Brush edges with egg wash. Lay a slice of guava paste in the center of each rectangle (or dot with dollops of jam or preserves, if using). Spread some of the cream cheese, if using, on top of the guava paste (about 1 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese per pastry).
• Remove the second sheet of puff pastry from the refrigerator, and roll it out into an 8-by-11-inch rectangle, dusting with flour as needed to prevent sticking. Lay the second sheet of puff pastry on top of the first. Using the side of your palm, press around and between the mounds of filling, pressing out any excess air, and to glue the top pastry to the bottom, creating 8 even, rectangular pockets. Paint the top sheet of puff pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle the surface with sugar.
• Using a knife or bench scraper, cut out and separate the 8 pastelitos following the original grid in between the indentations in the dough. Trim the perimeter to neaten the rectangles. The dough should still be cool to the touch; if it is warm, return the pastelitos to the refrigerator on the baking sheet for 10 minutes to firm up before baking.
• Bake pastelitos until puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

GUAVA CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES - QUEQUITO DE GUAYABA

Steps:

• Pour 2 cups of guava nectar into a measuring cup and set aside.
• Place the remaining guava nectar in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced to 1 1/4 cups. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 24 cupcake molds with paper liners.
• Prepare the cake batter: Place the cake mix in the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the 1 1/4 cup of guava nectar that was reduced on the stove. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and lime zest. Mix until well blended.
• Mix in a few drops of red food coloring (optional) and blend until color is solid.
• Divide batter among the prepared cupcake pans.
• Bake cupcakes until they spring back lightly to the touch, about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Prepare the guava glaze: Place the reserved 2 cups of guava nectar in the same medium saucepan along with 1/2 cup sugar and a pinch of salt. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
• Remove from heat, and carefully transfer 1 cup of the syrup to a heatproof bowl.
• Place the cornstarch in a small bowl and whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons of the guava syrup into the cornstarch to make a smooth paste.
• Return remaining syrup to the stove, whisk in the cornstarch, and bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, stirring, until mixture thickens.
• Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, then remove from heat and stir in the butter. Strain if needed. Set guava glaze aside to cool.
• When the cupcakes come out of the oven, prick them gently with a toothpick, then brush the cupcakes evenly with the reserved guava syrup (the guava-sugar mixture without the cornstarch), letting it soak into the cake.
• Let the cupcakes cool.
• Prepare the frosting: Place the cream cheese, warm guava jelly, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat until fluffy.
• Add the confectioners' sugar in parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla, beating well after each addition, until frosting is light and fluffy.
• Spread or pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes. Drizzle the guava glaze (mixture with cornstarch) over the cupcakes, or swirl the glaze into the frosting.

GUAVA CUBAN PASTRY (PASTELITO DE GUAYABA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Cut guava paste into 18 thin slices.
• Unroll puff pastry and cut into 18 squares. Place a thin slice of guava paste onto each square and fold pastry piece over to make a triangle. Using a fork, pinch the edges of the triangle together. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar if you like.
• Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

MIAMI GUAVA PASTRIES (PASTELITOS)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly flour a baking sheet.
• Roll puff pastry into a thin sheet on a floured surface. Cut into squares about the length of your hand and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Beat egg and water together in a bowl; brush each pastry square with egg wash. Stab each square a few times with a fork.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool at least 10 minutes.
• Mix guava paste and jam together in a bowl until smooth.
• Cut a large, vertical slit into each pastry. Spread 1 tablespoon guava mixture into each slit, making sure guava doesn't squeeze out when closed.