Recently I went on a self-guided “Bakery Crawl” in San Francisco, primarily taste-testing whatever tempted me most behind the counter’s in various bakeries I follow on Instagram. Clearly, this is my favorite part about the baking process. đŸ˜‰ Field research.
Neighbor Bakehouse was the last bakery on the list, and upon arrival, I was met with a rack, taller than me, layered with trays of pastries in their small warehouse style shop. I chose the Cinnamon Bostock, a huge slice of brioche that has an almond frangipane baked into the center and is then sprinkled with powdered sugar (and cinnamon in this case). I also chose the goat cheese, pesto, sundried tomato, and fontina cheese “pizza-ette” which was baked on thick foccacia and sprinkled with pine nuts. And lastly, a little golden pastry caught my eye, the Guava & Cream Cheese Pastelito.
I’d never heard of a Pastelito before. After tasting it, I knew I’d have to either 1) come back for another 2) try to make my own.
It’s a Cuban dessert that is as simple as flakey puff pastry, filled with guava paste and cream cheese. And it’s heavenly. I texted my Cuban friend, Denise, who responded immediately explaining not only does she LOVE them, but that they were a staple for her growing up. We’ve made plans to go to an authentic Cuban bakery in the future. I encourage you to try them if you see them anywhere, or better yet, try making them because they’re super easy and quick. And most importantly, delicious.
Enjoy!
*Note: Guava paste can be found in the fresh cheese section or Latin foods aisle at speciality grocery stores.
A Bee Bakes 
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