4 Ingredient Guava and Cheese Pastries (Pastelitos)

This post was sponsored by Café Bustelo as part of an Influence Central campaign and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Growing up, Saturday mornings were filled with cafe con leche, eggs, and pastries. My great-grandmother lived with us for many, many years and her preferred coffee was Café Bustelo®. It was the coffee of choice for many Latino families in my community. Back in the days (when Keurig’s didn’t exist), making espresso was a little bit more intensive. My Abuela made it in her little pot every morning. The aroma, which I can still smell today, woke everyone in the house up. She was always up at the crack of dawn listening to Radio Iglesia (church radio) and making breakfast for everyone.

She would whip up a batch of guava and cheese pastries from scratch! The pastries were amazing every time. She had a piece with her cafe con leche all the time. There is nothing more delicious than a crispy, flaky crust with sweet guava and cheese. In honor of Hispanic Heritage month, I want to share this easy recipe with you! I love Hispanic food and I am so proud to be part of that culture.

I’m a mom now and I look for ways to make things easier for myself. I would love my grandma’s guayaba pasetlitos but I don’t have the time or her touch to do them. I can, however, have the same coffee she drank – Café Bustelo, which is available for K-Cup® Pods. Score! I make the pastries in a faster, easier way with pre-made pastry dough.

Makes me think of my sweet, sweet Abuela every time I drink it. She would have it with milk and cream but sometimes she would add sweetened condensed milk. It takes the coffee to a whole new level! The bold flavor of Café Bustelo really helps me start the day. A splash of cream is all I need!

4-Ingredient Guava and Cheese Pastries (Guayaba y Queso Pastelitos) Recipe

Ingredients:

• Puff pastry sheets (found in the Frozen section)
• Guava Paste or Marmalade
• 4 oz softened Cream Cheese
• Sweetened Condensed Milk

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cut the pastry sheet 2 times vertically and 1 time horizontally so that you have 6 rectangles. You can make them smaller by cutting it twice vertically and horizontally to make 9 rectangles but I like them bigger.
3. Cut the Guava paste into small 2 inch pieces, enough to sit nicely on the pastry puff. And the Cream cheese mixture on top of the Guava paste. It is optional to add the cream cheese, just adding guava tastes just as great.
4. Fold the pastry over and with a fork press down the edges. Use a knife to cut a small slit on top to vent.
5. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 mins. Remove once the crust is golden brown. Let it cool in a cooling rake.

Cream Cheese mixture:

1. In a mixer, add the softened cream cheese and 1 TBSP of sweetened condensed milk.
2. Beat on high for a few minutes until well blended.

Guys, you will not be able to eat just one. Just ask my hubby. I do some with guava and some with guava and cheese because my kids like the guava only. Picky, picky those two! The sweetness from the guava goes so well with the tartness of the cream cheese but the sweet condensed milk really softens the flavor, in my opinion.

I’ve even made them into mini pastries for parties and get-togethers – they go like hot cakes! I even make them with Nutella, caramel sauce, strawberry preserves with drizzled chocolate on top. They all are fantastic and it is SO easy to make. Go wild. The best part? They all go well with some Café Bustelo! It is easier than ever to make a cup of Café Bustelo thanks to K-Cup Pods. If you don’t have a coffee machine that takes K-Cup Pods, Café Bustelo is available in other forms – ground, whole bean, brick, and Instant.

Be sure to check the coffee aisle at your local Target stores for all Café Bustelo product offerings. There is a great coupon right now –  10% off Café Bustelo K-Cup® Pods with the Target Cartwheel app. Be sure to load it to your phone for additional savings.