Palmiers – Sweet and Savory

“Palmieres” is the French term for small pastries made of puff pastry. The dough is rolled in a way, that once cut and baked, the pastries resemble palm leaves, or “Palmiers” in French. In other places the pastries got some less complimenting names, such as Elephant Ears, or Pigs’ Ears – so obviously, it’s best to stick with the much nicer French term…
But no matter how you call them, these pastries are very delicious and very easy to make.  Another great thing about Palmiers is that the rolled log can be kept in the freezer for up to a month. So having a prepared log in the freezer makes it easier to make them in no time.

Freezing and baking the Palmiers from frozen, help in keeping their shape while baking. So don’t try to skip this stage, or you will indeed end up with Pigs Ears rather than Palmiers… 🙂 Once you’ve made Palmiers, you can use your imagination and use any other fillings you like.

You will get the best results when using puff pastry made with butter, but at times of need, any other good quality puff pastry will do. If using frozen dough, make sure to defrost it slowly in the fridge overnight.

 

Sugar Palmiers

To make these tasty caramelized cookies, all that is needed are 2 ingredients – puff pastry and sugar. Can’t get any easier than that!

Makes: 22
Prep time: 10 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 12-15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 sheet (0.55 lb, 245 grams) puff pastry sheet, thawed
1 cup sugar

1. Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface, to about 7” x 12” (14cm x 24cm) rectangle. Sprinkle the sugar in an even layer all over the dough, keeping the edges clean as much as possible.

2. Starting from the long side of the rectangle, gently fold the dough over the sugar, towards the middle. Do the same on the opposite side, and then fold together, so that both sides meet in the middle. Tighten the log gently, to make it a bit longer.

3. Place on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer for at least 30 minutes, to harden the dough and make cutting easier. (At this point, you can also wrap the log tightly with plastic wrap and keep in the freezer for up to a month.)
4. Preheat the oven to 390F (200C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper. 5. Place the log on a cutting board. Slice with a sharp, heavy knife, into 22 slices, discarding the uneven edges. Place the slices on the baking sheet, cut side up.

6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is golden and the sugar at the bottom caramelizes (check by lifting gently with a spatula). Let cool completely. Serve with the caramelized side up.

Savory Cheddar and Prosciutto Palmiers
The sweet version of Palmires, as seen above, is the most familiar, but there’s no reason not to make a savory version as well. Try these easy and flavorful ones. They are great as finger food and will become the hit of any party. For a tasty vegetarian version, simply omit the prosciutto.

Makes: 20
Prep time: 10 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 12-15 minutes
Ingredients:
1 sheet (0.55 lb, 245 grams)) puff pastry sheet, thawed
2-3 Tbs Dijon mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
3 thin slices of Prosciutto (1.5 oz, 40 grams)
½ cup grated Gruyere cheese (or sharp Cheddar)

1. Roll the dough on a lightly floured work surface, to about 7” x 12” (14cm x 24cm) rectangle. Spread the mustard over the dough, leaving the edges clean as much as possible. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper. Place the prosciutto on top, in one layer, and sprinkle the cheese on both sides.

2. Start from the long side of the rectangle, gently fold the dough over the prosciutto and cheese, towards the middle. Do the same on the opposite side, and fold together, so that the two sides meet in the middle. Tighten the log gently, to make the log a bit longer.

3. Place on a baking sheet and transfer to the freezer for at least 30 minutes, to harden the dough and make cutting easier. At this point, you can also wrap the log tightly with plastic wrap and keep in the freezer for up to a month. 
4. Preheat oven to 390F (200C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper.
5. Take the log out of the freezer and place it on top of a large cutting board. Slice with a sharp, heavy knife, into 22 slices, discarding the uneven edges. Place the slices on the baking sheet, with the cut side up.  6. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the dough is golden and the cheese bubbly. Serve warm.