Miguelitos: Spanish Cream-Filled Pastry

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 60 mins
Servings: 32 servings
Yield: 32 pastries

Miguelitos de la Roda are a light and flaky pastry with cream filling. This delicious dessert was invented in La Roda in the Spanish province of Albacete. Pastry chef Manuel Blanco named his tasty creation after a friend who was the first to taste it in 1960. They are now produced in many pastry shops all over Albacete.

A Miguelito is a very simple pastry, which looks and tastes like it took hours to produce. Fortunately, it is simple to make and takes very little time or cooking skills. Just roll, cut, and bake puff pastry sheets and prepare a simple pastry cream to spoon into the center. Dust them with powdered sugar and enjoy. 

Spanish Cream-Filled Pastries
Lisa Sierra

Ingredients

For the Pastry

  • 1 (17 1/3-ounce) package puff pastry, 2 sheets, thawed

  • 1 large egg

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, for dusting

For the Filling

  • 2 1/2 cups milk

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch

  • 1 stick cinnamon

  • Peel of 1/2 lemon

Steps to Make It

Prepare the Pastry

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Heat oven to 400 F (200 C).

  3. Thaw the puff pastry for approximately 20 minutes. Be sure that you do not allow the pastry to warm up or it will be too difficult to work with. It should still be cold.

  4. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of flour on a board or marble.

  5. Using a rolling pin, roll it out to extend the pastry.

  6. Using a very sharp knife, cut the pastry into squares about 2 inches (4 centimeters) wide.

  7. Place pastry squares on a cookie sheet.

  8. Beat the egg and brush each square using a pastry brush.

  9. Bake on the center rack for 10 to 12 minutes or until pastry is browned on top and crispy. Remove and allow to cool.

Prepare the Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pour half of the milk into a saucepan and add the cinnamon stick, vanilla extract, and lemon peel.

  3. Heat on high just until the milk boils, then reduce it to low immediately. Pay close attention so you do not scorch the milk.

  4. In a mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar.

  5. Pour in the rest of the milk, as well as the cornstarch, and whisk.

  6. Remove the cinnamon stick and lemon peel from the warm milk.

  7. Add the cold milk mixture from the bowl, and stir until it thickens. Remove from stove.

Assemble the Miguelitos

  1. Loosen the pastry squares from the cookie sheet using a spatula.

  2. Carefully open up each square like a sandwich.

  3. Spoon in the cream filling, and replace the top.

  4. Dust with powdered sugar, using a sifter or sieve.

  5. Serve and enjoy.

Raw Egg Warning

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of foodborne illness.

Tip

  • If you're not serving them immediately, refrigerate until needed.

Recipe Variation

  • The No-Filling Alternative: Some cooks prefer to prepare the Miguelitos without the cream filling. Instead, they are coated with syrup and honey, creating an equally tasty treat. To prepare, roll out the pastry dough and cut into squares, coat with egg, and bake per instructions above. While the pastry is baking, pour 2 cups (250 milliliters) water, 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar, and 3/4 cup (250 grams) honey in a saucepan and heat to boiling. Reduce heat. When the pastries are cool enough to touch, dip each into the syrup and allow them to cool on a rack. Dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
135 Calories
7g Fat
16g Carbs
3g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories 135
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 7g 9%
Saturated Fat 1g 7%
Cholesterol 31mg 10%
Sodium 57mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 12mg 61%
Calcium 35mg 3%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 81mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)