Puff Pastry Gujiya Bites (Baked)
Bite-sized baked gujiya with toasted mawa, nuts, coconut, and cardamom wrapped in store-bought puff pastry. Log-and-slice method with oven and air fryer options for Holi and Diwali trays.
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Small skillet
- Pastry brush
- Sharp knife
- Wire rack (optional)
Ingredients
For the filling
- 1 tablespoon ghee 14 g; or refined coconut oil for vegan
- 1/2 cup grated mawa khoya; 55 g; lightly packed
- 2 tablespoons mixed nuts cashews, almonds, pistachios; finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon golden raisins optional; chopped
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated coconut
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 37 g; 25 g; or 2 tablespoons for lightly sweet centers
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch saffron threads (optional), crushed into 1 tablespoon warm milk
For assembly and bake
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry about 9 to 10 oz / 250 to 280 g; thawed
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 8 g
- 1 1/2 tablespoons water 22 ml
- 1 tablespoon milk 15 ml; or plant milk, for wash
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar optional; for dusting
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped pistachios for garnish
- Edible silver leaf (vark), optional
For optional light sugar syrup
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 50 g
- 2 tablespoons water 30 ml
- 1/4 teaspoon rose water optional
Instructions
Make the filling
- If using saffron, steep crushed threads in warm milk 10 minutes.
- In a wide skillet over medium-low, add mawa. Stir and toast 4 to 6 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Transfer to a bowl.
- In the same pan, melt ghee over medium-low. Add nuts and raisins (if using). Sauté 1 minute. Add coconut. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until coconut smells toasted and looks pale gold.
- Return mawa to the pan. Stir 1 minute to combine. Off heat, mix in sugar and cardamom, plus saffron milk if using.
- Spread filling on a plate. Cool 20 to 30 minutes until room temperature. It should be thick and scoopable, not runny.
Shape the log
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Stir flour and water into a smooth paste.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into a rectangle about 10 x 12 inches. Trim uneven edges if needed.
- Spread cooled filling in a 2-inch-wide strip along one long edge, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush the bare pastry border and the far long edge with flour paste.
- Starting from the filled edge, roll tightly into a log. Pinch the seam and ends to seal. Place log on the lined tray seam-side down.
- Freeze the log 15 to 20 minutes until firm.
Slice and bake (oven)
- Using a sharp knife, cut log into 16 to 18 coins about 3/4 inch thick. Arrange cut-side up on the tray with space between.
- Brush tops with milk. Bake 12 to 16 minutes until puffed and deep golden. Cool on the tray 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Optional syrup or dry finish
- Light syrup (optional): Simmer sugar and water 2 to 3 minutes until slightly sticky. Cool 5 minutes. Dip warm bites briefly with a fork, let excess drip, place on rack. Garnish with pistachios and vark.
- No syrup: Dust cooled bites with powdered sugar and pistachios.
Notes
- Air fryer: preheat to 360°F (180°C). Arrange bites in a single layer. Air fry 8 to 12 minutes, checking at 8 minutes, until golden. Work in batches.
- Make-ahead: freeze unbaked log wrapped tightly up to 2 weeks. Slice while still firm, bake from frozen, adding 2 to 4 minutes oven time.
- Vegan: use coconut oil, dairy-free puff pastry (check labels), and a plant mawa substitute (toasted almond flour plus coconut cream cooked thick). Brush with plant milk before baking.
- Storage: room temperature in an airtight container 1 day; refrigerate 3 to 4 days. Re-crisp in a 350°F oven for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Mawa substitute: mix 1/2 cup milk powder with 1/4 cup drained ricotta or heavy cream and 1 teaspoon ghee, warmed gently until thick, then cool completely before filling.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!