Red Bean Puff Pastries

For most of my life, I’ve always tried to reconcile my Chinese and Vietnamese culture with my American upbringing. It is sometimes an uncomfortable push and pull, but I think it makes me a better person. So I really wanted to pay homage to that fusion by doing a dessert that reflects that.

When I was growing up, I used to love going to this bakery in LA called Porto’s. They are definitely an LA institution with lines down the block every time I visit. The thing they are most famous for are their cheese rolls which is a flaky pastry filled with a soft, gooey cheese filling. If you’ve had one, you’ll know why I say it’s one of the best things ever. I was inspired by those cheese rolls when I created these red bean puff pastries. It has a cream cheese and red bean filling all wrapped in a flaky puff pastry.

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Puff pastry – I used store bought puff pastry, but you can make your own if you want.
• Red bean paste – I also used store bought red bean paste to reduce the amount of cooking time. If you can’t find it at a local grocery store, you can buy it on Amazon or use my homemade red bean paste recipe below.
• Cream cheese – I used full fat cream cheese for these pastries. I think it should be okay to used reduced fat cream cheese, but I did not test it.
• Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness to the cream cheese. I felt like the cream cheese needed a little bit of sweetness to tie it together with the red bean paste. You can use as little or as much sugar as you want. I tested this with no sugar, and it still tasted good.
• Vanilla extract – Adds a nice flavor to the cream cheese. Substitute with one vanilla bean or an equal amount of vanilla paste. I typically use vanilla paste because it has more flavor.
• Egg to seal the pastries

Making my red bean puff pastries

First preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Next defrost your puff pastry sheets according to the instructions on the package. It should take about 30 minutes to defrost. Make your cream cheese filling. Add cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk together until combined. Set aside.

Now it’s time to put together your pastries! Divide one of your puff pastry sheets into 9 equal pieces. Smear 1 tablespoon of cream cheese on each piece leaving 1/4 inch of space between the filling and the edge of the pastry sheet. Follow with one tablespoon of the red bean paste. Whisk the egg and use a brush to egg wash the edges of the pastry sheet. This will act as the glue between the first and second sheet.

Divide the second puff pastry sheet into 9 equal pieces. Place a piece on top of a pastry sheet with filling on top. Press the edges together. Repeat this process for all 9 pastries. Use a knife to cut slits into the top of each pastry. This allows some air to escape and prevent the pastries from exploding. Feel free to trim the edges of your pastries for a cleaner look. Egg wash the top of the pastries. Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool for 5 minutes before serving.

My red bean paste recipe

If you can’t find red bean paste, you can make it from scratch. To make my homemade red bean paste, you will need 1/3 cup of adzuki beans, 2 cups water, and 1/3 cup granulated sugar. First, soak the adzuki beans overnight. The next morning, drain the beans and transfer them to a small sauce pan. Cover them with 1.5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. You are aiming for the beans to get really mushy. Once they are done cooking, use the back of a spoon or potato masher to crush the beans. Next, add 2/3 cup of sugar and stir. Cook until a thick consistency. It should be similar to the consistency of a very thick bean soup. Remove from the heat and set aside. The paste should thicken as it sits.

Tips on how to make the best red bean puff pastries

Don’t over fill your pastries

I was a little overzealous with the filling during one of my tests, and the filling spilled out of the pastries during baking. About 1 tablespoon of each filling should be enough.

Make sure the egg wash is light

If you are too heavy handed on the egg wash, you will get scrambled eggs.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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