Uruguayan Peach and Dulce de Leche Pastelitos with Summer Stone Fruit

Toss the peach wedges with the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Let them macerate for 20 minutes, then drain off and discard the syrup that pools at the bottom, or the pastry will go soggy.

Ingredients

• Makes 12 pastelitos, serves 6:
• 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry, about 1 lb (450 g) total, thawed
• 4 ripe yellow peaches, pitted and cut into thin wedges
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup (240 g) thick dulce de leche, the firm repostero style
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 tbsp milk, for egg wash
• 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp coarse sanding sugar
• Pinch of fine sea salt

Instructions

1. Toss the peach wedges with the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Let them macerate for 20 minutes, then drain off and discard the syrup that pools at the bottom, or the pastry will go soggy.
2. Heat the oven to 400 F (200 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
3. Roll each pastry sheet on a lightly floured counter to about a 12-inch square, then cut each into six rectangles roughly 4 by 6 inches. You should have twelve pieces.
4. Spoon a tablespoon of dulce de leche onto one half of each rectangle, leaving a half-inch border, and lay two or three drained peach wedges on top. Resist overfilling, which is the main cause of blowouts.
5. Brush the borders with egg wash, fold the pastry over into a square or triangle, and press the edges firmly with a fork to seal. Transfer to the baking sheets, brush the tops with egg wash and cut two small steam vents in each.
6. Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway, until deeply golden brown and visibly puffed with crisp, separated layers at the cut edges.
7. While they bake, simmer the granulated sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat for 4 minutes until slightly syrupy, then stir in the vanilla off the heat.
8. Brush the hot pastelitos with the vanilla syrup the moment they come out of the oven and shower them with sanding sugar. Cool for at least 15 minutes before eating, because the dulce de leche holds serious heat.
9. Pastelitos are the pastry of Uruguayan street corners and Sunday afternoons, usually filled with quince paste or dulce de leche and sold from bakery windows in stacks. Slipping in fresh stone fruit is a peak-season move that cuts the caramel's richness with acidity. Draining the macerating juice is the one non-negotiable step, since it is what keeps the bottom layers crisp instead of steaming from within.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 540 kcal
• Protein: 7g
• Fat: 26g
• Carbohydrates: 72g
• Fiber: 3g
• Sugar: 42g
• Sodium: 260mg