Pastelería Cristal - Chicago, IL Menu

Pasteles de Celebración

Whole cakes for birthdays, quinceañeras, and baptisms, usually ordered ahead and decorated with whipped cream, fruit, or fondant.

• Pastel de Dulce de LecheVegetarianVanilla cake layers spread with thick dulce de leche and frosted in a caramel-tinged buttercream, with toasty, cooked-milk notes.
• Tres Leches ClásicoVegetarian · Popular pickSponge cake soaked overnight in evaporated milk, condensed milk, and cream, crowned with whipped topping; spoon-tender and milky-sweet.
• Tres Leches de FresaVegetarianA strawberry version layered with sliced fresh berries between soaked sponge and frosted in pale pink whipped cream.
• ChocoflanVegetarianAlso called pastel imposible: chocolate cake and smooth caramel flan baked together, swapping places in the oven, then glazed with cajeta.
• Pastel de PiñaVegetarianLight vanilla sponge filled with crushed pineapple and whipped cream, decorated with pineapple rings and maraschino cherries; fruity and airy.
• Pastel de DuraznoVegetarianLayers of chiffon cake brushed with syrup and filled with peach slices and Chantilly cream, a fixture at Mexican family parties.
• Pastel de Mil HojasVegetarianStacked sheets of crisp puff pastry sandwiched with dulce de leche or pastry cream, topped with powdered sugar or meringue.
• Selva NegraVegetarianA Latin-style black forest cake of chocolate sponge, cherry filling, and whipped cream, finished with chocolate shavings and cherries.

Rebanadas y Postres Individuales

Single-serve slices and portions from the display case, sized for an afternoon cafecito.

• Flan de CocoVegetarian · Gluten-freeA dense, silky custard made with coconut milk and shredded coconut, set in amber caramel and served chilled.
• QuesilloVegetarian · Gluten-freeVenezuelan-style flan with a slightly porous, honeycombed texture from whole eggs and condensed milk, under a dark caramel syrup.
• Torta ChilenaVegetarianA Salvadoran and Chilean favorite of many thin, crisp pastry layers alternated with dulce de leche or apricot jam.
• Cheesecake de GuayabaVegetarianCreamy cheesecake swirled or topped with guava glaze, mixing tangy cream cheese with tropical, floral fruit sweetness.
• Mousse de MaracuyáAn airy passion fruit mousse set in a cup, sharp and fragrant, often finished with a spoonful of seed-flecked passion fruit sauce.
• Quesadilla SalvadoreñaVegetarianA Salvadoran sweet pound cake made with rice flour, hard cheese, and sour cream, topped with sesame seeds; dense and faintly salty.
• PiononoVegetarianA thin sponge rolled around dulce de leche or guava filling and dusted with sugar, sliced into spirals with a caramel or fruity center.
• Brazo GitanoVegetarianA Spanish-heritage jelly roll filled with pastry cream, guava, or cream cheese, sliced to show off its pinwheel.

Dulces y Galletas

Bite-sized cookies and confections sold by the piece or packed in party boxes.

• AlfajoresVegetarian · Popular pickTwo tender cornstarch shortbread cookies sandwiching dulce de leche, edges rolled in shredded coconut; crumbly and caramel-rich.
• Besitos de CocoVegetarian · Gluten-freePuerto Rican coconut kisses: small mounds of shredded coconut and brown sugar baked until toasty outside and chewy inside.
• BrigadeirosVegetarian · Gluten-freeBrazilian chocolate truffles of condensed milk, cocoa, and butter, rolled in chocolate sprinkles; fudgy and very sweet.
• MerenguesVegetarian · Gluten-freeLarge meringue swirls tinted in pastel colors that shatter into a light, sugary crunch with a slightly chewy center.
• CocadasVegetarian · Gluten-freeRustic coconut candies cooked with sugar and milk until golden, firm at the edges and chewy at the core.
• Polvorones de CanelaVegetarianCrumbly cinnamon shortbread rounds dusted in cinnamon sugar, a staple of party favor bags and coffee trays.

Pastelitos y Salados

Flaky pastries and savory bites from across Latin America, often sold warm.

• PandebonoVegetarian · Gluten-freeColombian cheese bread made with cassava starch and corn flour, chewy and springy with a salty, cheesy aroma.
• Cachito de JamónSavoryA Venezuelan soft roll wrapped around chopped ham and sometimes bacon, slightly sweet dough against a salty filling.
• Buñuelo ColombianoVegetarian · SavoryA round cheese fritter made with cornstarch and salty fresh cheese, crisp-shelled and airy inside, especially popular at Christmas.
• Pastelito de Guayaba y QuesoVegetarianPuff pastry squares filled with guava paste and sweetened cream cheese, glazed with syrup; flaky, tangy, and jammy.
• Empanada ArgentinaSavoryA baked hand pie with a braided, crimped edge, filled with seasoned ground beef, onion, olives, and hard-boiled egg.
• Empanada de PolloSavoryA golden turnover stuffed with shredded chicken stewed with tomato, onion, and cumin, crisp outside and juicy within.

Postres Fríos

Chilled cups and molded desserts kept in the refrigerated case.

• Arroz con LecheVegetarian · Gluten-freeRice simmered slowly in milk with cinnamon and citrus peel until thick and creamy, served cold with a dusting of cinnamon.
• JericallaVegetarian · Gluten-freeA Guadalajara custard flavored with cinnamon and vanilla, baked until its top browns into a spotted, burnished skin.
• Fresas con CremaVegetarian · Gluten-freeSliced strawberries folded into a sweet blend of crema and condensed milk, served cold in a cup.
• Carlota de LimónVegetarianAn icebox dessert of Maria cookies layered with a lime and condensed-milk cream, chilled until sliceable and tart.
• NatillaVegetarian · Gluten-freeA soft stovetop custard thickened with cornstarch and perfumed with cinnamon, smooth, pale, and spoonable.
• Gelatina de MosaicoGluten-freeCubes of bright fruit gelatin set in a creamy condensed-milk gelatin, cool, jiggly, and a fixture at children's parties.

Drinks

• CortaditoVegetarian · Gluten-freeSweetened Cuban espresso cut with a splash of steamed milk, giving a smaller, stronger alternative to a latte with caramel-like depth.
• Café con lecheVegetarian · Gluten-freeCuban-style espresso poured into a mug of hot, sweetened milk; the classic morning partner for buttered, pressed Cuban toast.
• Mexican hot chocolateVegetarianDisks of cinnamon-scented, slightly grainy Mexican chocolate melted into milk and frothed with a molinillo for a foamy, spiced cup.
• HorchataVegetarian · Gluten-freeChilled rice drink blended with cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar, sometimes with almonds; milky-white, lightly gritty, and cooling on a hot afternoon.
• Agua frescaVegan · Gluten-freeFresh fruit blended with water, lime, and a little sugar; common rotating flavors include watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, and jamaica (hibiscus).
• Cafecito (Cuban espresso)Vegan · Gluten-freeShort, intensely sweet espresso made by whipping the first drops with sugar into an espumita foam; served in thimble-sized cups to share.