Cubiletes de Queso

also called cubilete · cubiletes · cubilete de queso · cheese cup · mexican cheese tart · pastel de queso · queso cup

The table

1/2 cup(115 g)cold unsalted butterrub the butter into the drybring together, chill 30 minpress into 12 cupsfill and bake at 350°F 25 mincool, then chill 2 hr
1 1/2 cups(180 g)all-purpose flour
1/4 cup(30 g)powdered sugar
1(18 g)egg yolk
1 Tbs(15 mL)cold water
8 oz(225 g)cream cheesebeat the filling smooth
4 oz(115 g)crumbled queso fresco
1/2 cup(100 g)granulated sugar
2 large(100 g)eggs
1 tsp(5 mL)vanilla extract
1 tsplime zest
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.12 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1rub the butter into the dry

2bring together, chill 30 min

goes in with what step 1 made

3beat the filling smooth

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 3 hr 25 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
none givenof the steps that give a time

3 of the 6 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 3 hr 30 min.

  1. rub the butter into the dry

    not timedfrom the start

  2. beat the filling smooth

    not timedfrom the start

  3. bring together, chill 30 min

    30 minwalk awayfrom the start

  4. press into 12 cups

    not timed30 min in

  5. fill and bake at 350°F 25 min

    25 minwalk away30 min in

  6. cool, then chill 2 hr

    2 hr 30 minwalk away55 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

You'll need tin

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Cubiletes de Queso
>> category: Custards & Puddings
>> tags: cheese, pastry, mexican, baked, make-ahead
>> counters: Panadería
>> aka: cubilete, cubiletes, cubilete de queso, cheese cup, mexican cheese tart, pastel de queso, queso cup
>> pairs-with: queso-fresco
>> servings: 12
>> time: 3 hr 30 min
>> step.1: rub the butter into the dry
>> step.2: bring together, chill 30 min
>> step.3: press into 12 cups
>> step.4: beat the filling smooth
>> step.5: fill and bake at 350°F 25 min
>> step.6: cool, then chill 2 hr

Rub @cold unsalted butter{1/2%cup}(115 g) into @all-purpose flour{1 1/2%cup}(180 g) and @powdered sugar{1/4%cup}(30 g) to coarse crumbs.

Bring @&(~1)crumbs{} together with @egg yolk{1}(18 g) and @cold water{1%Tbs}(15 mL), then ~chill{30%min}.

Press @&(~1)pastry{} thin into 12 cups of a muffin #tin{}, up the sides to the rim, and prick the bases. The cup is the name: *cubilete* is a dice cup, and the pastry is meant to stand up like one.

Beat @cream cheese{8%oz}(225 g), @crumbled queso fresco{4%oz}(115 g), @granulated sugar{1/2%cup}(100 g), @eggs{2%large}(100 g), @vanilla extract{1%tsp}(5 mL) and @lime zest{1%tsp} smooth. The queso fresco is what makes it a cubilete rather than a cheesecake — it keeps a little grain and a little salt in the set.

Spoon @&(~1)cheese filling{} into @&(~2)lined cups{} to just under the rim and bake at 350°F for ~bake{25%min}, until the edges are set and the centres still wobble.

Cool @&(~1)baked cubiletes{} in the tin ~cool{30%min}, then ~chill{2%hr} before lifting them out.