My favorite part of blogging about Puerto Rican food is meeting others who miss it as much as I do. Ramon Novoa  is a FaceBook friend who shared his most loved #islandflavor:

      “Quesitos were my favorite treat when I was a kid in PR. Whenever I go back to PR there are two things I need to have within the first 24 hours of my visit: a quesito and a mofongo, but not necessarily together. Every bakery in PR has quesitos on their menu but, in my opinion, the best come from the panadería La Ceiba, en la avenida Roosvelt and La Esmeralda in Guaynabo.”

I couldn’t agree more with Ramon about quesitos. This simple, rustic pastry is the Puerto Rican version of danish and its name means quite literally “little cheeses”. It’s a type of laminated dough stuffed with sweetened cream cheese, topped with a brush stroke of  syrup or a dusting of confectioner’s sugar and it’s usually served alongside a strong cup of coffee. It’s a very popular breakfast and lunch time pick me up throughout the island and you can find them prominently displayed at every single pastry shop.

Though I’ve never been to either of the bakeries Ramon mentioned, I have many fond memories of our neighborhood panaderia, the Boqueron Bakery. It was the first stop for my grandparents as they made their way back to our farm after spending the week in the city. Just seeing the sign on the Boqueron Bakery would bring a smile to my face. My grandfather would nod at the old men that sat outside in their guayaberas (dress shirts) playing dominoes. I loved the sound of my chanclas (flip flops) on the  dusty checkered linoleum. I would stare, transfixed, at all the items in the pastry case for the entirety of the time it took my Abuelo to place his order. It was a treasure box of confections and I imagined its glow was identical to the one that surrounded el niño Jesus.

If you MUST have true blue made in Puerto Rico confections I love Panaderia Lemy.  They ship all the mainstays of a good Puerto Rican bakery to the US. Opening that box IS HEAVEN. But if you have to have your quesitos NOW, I do have a recipe that can get them on your table in the next half hour. Make yourself a nice cafesito, take a bite, close your eyes and I promise you it will take you back. If you’re a total softie like me, while you’re grubbing and reminiscing about our beautiful island listen to Hector Lavoe’s El Dia De Mi Suerte AND TRY NO TO CRY!

Tools

  • sheet pan
  • baking mat or parchment paper
  • oven thermometer
  • rolling pin
  • stand mixer or hand mixer or a fork, a deep bowl and lots of elbow grease
  • rubber scraper
  • pastry brush
  • fine mesh strainer

Ingredients

  • 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
  • AP flour for dusting your work surface
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg, divided
  • OPTIONAL zest of one lemon (about 1.5 teaspoons)
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar for dusting finished pastries

Directions

  1. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or baking mat. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t trust your oven display. Use an oven thermometer to ensure you’re at the right temperature. They only cost a few dollars and can mean the difference between golden brown pastries and a charred or undercooked mess.
  2. Cream the cheese and sugar in your stand mixer on low speed, occasionally sweeping down the sides of the bowl with your rubber scraper. If you have a hand mixer use a low speed as well. If you’re going old school with a fork and a bowl the mixing will be slow anyway. Also my heart breaks for you.
  3. Once the sugar has been thoroughly incorporated into the cream cheese add the salt and vanilla. The egg yolk and lemon zest are optional and not traditional ingredients. I love how citrus transforms the sweetness of the filling and always use it. The egg yolk adds a nice richness and since you’re breaking an egg open anyway (to use the white as a wash) it’s nice not to let it go to waste. You can stick with tradition, or use my recipe. Either way the filling will taste awesome. Mix on low until ingredients are combined.
  4. Dust your work surface with a little AP flour and place the thawed and opened puff pastry sheet on it. You want to thaw the puff pastry before you unfold it or it will crack at the seams. It’s best to thaw puff pastry overnight in the fridge. If you’re pressed for time you can leave it out on the counter to thaw, but keep an eye on it! Start working it as soon as it’s pliable, otherwise the butter between its layers will melt into the dough and it won’t give you a perfect rise when you bake it.
  5. Dust your rolling pin with a little flour and very lightly roll out the creases in the dough. Roll out the puff pastry very gently into a square that’s about 12 inches by 12 inches.
  6. With a chef’s knife and using your rolling pin as a guide, cut the dough into 9 squares, each approximately 4 by 4 inches. It’s as simple as making two cuts along the length and two cuts along the width of your dough, each spaced about 4 inches apart. It’s important to cut straight down and not drag your knife across the dough as that will pull the dough and also impair rise.
  7. Place 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture in the center of each square.
  8. Lightly beat your egg white. Using a pastry brush place a nickel sized dot of egg white on the upper left hand corner of a pastry square. Fold this corner over the center of the filling and press down to secure it (just off center) to the puff pastry. Place another nickel sized dot of egg white on the lower right hand corner and fold it over the center mound, pressing it firmly on the center of the mound to create a seal. Repeat for remaining puff pastry squares.
  9. Place prepared pastries on your sheet pan, evenly spaced apart and brush lightly with egg wash. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes. When you are about 10 minutes into your baking time rotate the sheet pan so that the pastries closest to the front are now closest to the back. This will ensure an even bake.
  10. Keep a close eye on the pastries and remove from the oven as soon as the dough has puffed and turned a light golden brown. Place the tablespoon of confectioner’s sugar in a fine mesh strainer and shake it over the pastries, dusting each lightly. Wait a few minutes before trying one, otherwise you will burn every single one of your tastebuds with the lava… I mean cream cheese filling. Buen Provecho!

Gallery