This showstopping dessert-for-breakfast dish is inspired by the guava and cheese pastelitos at Versailles, a Cuban restaurant in Miami, but is much simpler to execute thanks to store-bought phyllo pastry. Dramatic, ruffly coils of phyllo are baked until crisp, then baked again in a simple goat cheese custard, and finally drizzled with a glossy guava syrup. If you can’t find guava paste to make the syrup, feel free to substitute your favorite fruit jam thinned with a splash of water. Pair it with the rest of DeVonn’s dream Pride brunch menu: Breakfast Smash Burgers, Coconut and Turmeric Fried Rice, and Melon and Avocado Crudo.
Ingredients
6–8 servings
½
7–9
1
1
4
½
3
¾
½
3
Preparation
-
Step 1
Preheat oven to 400°. Brush bottom and sides of a 9”-diameter baking dish or cake pan with some of ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted.
Step 2
Place a stack of 7–9 sheets fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed, on a work surface; cover with a barely damp kitchen towel. Remove 1 sheet from stack and brush with butter. With long side of sheet facing you, gently scrunch up phyllo into a long rope, then wrap into a very loose coil (phyllo will look messy, and that’s okay!). You should have what looks like a big phyllo rose. Place coil in center of prepared pan. Repeat process with remaining phyllo sheets and butter, arranging coils around the one in the center (as you would for a pan of cinnamon rolls).
Step 3
Bake until pastry is golden brown and crisp, 15–20 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.
Step 4
While the phyllo is cooling, combine 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 4 oz. goat cheese, room temperature, ½ cup heavy cream, 3 Tbsp. sugar, ¾ tsp. vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a blender and blend on high speed until custard is completely smooth.
Step 5
Pour custard over pastry (try to leave some crispy bits exposed). Return pan to oven and bake until custard is puffed but still slightly jiggly in the center, 15–20 minutes (start checking a couple minutes early). Let cool 10 minutes.
Step 6
Meanwhile, combine 3 oz. guava paste, cut into small pieces, and 2 Tbsp. water in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high power in 15-second increments, whisking after each, until smooth.
Step 7
Drizzle guava syrup over pie. Serve warm or at room temperature.
