Guava Cheese Pop Tarts (Printer-friendly)

Flaky homemade pastry filled with sweet-tart guava jam and cream cheese, topped with vanilla glaze.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pastry

01 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
05 - 1/3 cup ice-cold water
06 - 1 large egg for egg wash

→ Filling

07 - 3/4 cup guava paste or thick guava jam
08 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
09 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Glaze

11 - 1 cup powdered sugar
12 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
13 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 - Pink or red food coloring, optional

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and use a pastry blender or fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
02 - Gradually add ice-cold water, mixing gently until the dough just comes together. Divide the dough in half, flatten each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
03 - In a small bowl, combine softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
04 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one chilled dough disk to approximately 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 8 rectangles, each measuring approximately 3 by 4 inches.
05 - Place 1 teaspoon of guava paste and 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture in the center of 4 rectangles, leaving a clear border around the edges. Brush the borders with beaten egg.
06 - Top each filled rectangle with a remaining unfilled rectangle. Press the edges firmly to seal, then crimp the edges with a fork to create a decorative pattern and ensure a tight seal.
07 - Transfer the assembled pop tarts to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
08 - Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the tops of the pop tarts with egg wash and prick the surface with a fork to allow steam to escape during baking.
09 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet.
10 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and pourable. Add pink or red food coloring if desired. Drizzle or spread the glaze over the cooled pop tarts and allow it to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a fancy bakery treat but come together in less than an hour from your own kitchen.
  • The flaky pastry keeps people coming back even when they think they're just grabbing one quick bite.
  • Guava and cream cheese is such an unexpected pairing that it becomes the first thing people ask you to make again.
02 -
  • The difference between flaky and tough pastry comes down to one thing: not overworking the dough and keeping butter cold, so resist the urge to knead or process it into submission.
  • If your guava paste is too thick to spoon easily, warm it slightly in a small bowl, because cold guava paste straight from the fridge can tear your delicate dough.
03 -
  • Always use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut butter into flour, because a food processor creates heat that melts the butter and ruins your flake game.
  • If you find yourself short on time, you can use store-bought puff pastry sheets instead of making dough from scratch, and nobody will judge you for taking that shortcut.
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