Palmiers

 
Sometimes called elephant ears, these flat, crisp, cookies are loaded with buttery goodness. 
 
You might sometimes find these pastries filled with cinnamon sugar, or some other creative variant. This is all well and good, but it is not authentic. Of course, what you choose to fold into your Palmiers is your own business. 
 
The key to successful Palmiers is the caramelization of all that sugar.  Watch these carefully. They are thin, and can burn quickly. Rotate the pan if necessary to promote even browning. Be sure to cool them completely before you dig in, to give them a chance to fully crisp up (and to prevent third-degree lip burns).

INGREDIENTS
 
1 recipe puff pastry
3-4 cups sugar
1 cup simple syrup

METHOD
 
1. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and with a rolling pin, roll into an 18x24” rectangle. Cover the entire surface generously with 2 cups sugar. With the rectangle in front of you horizontally, divide it visually into 6 even columns. (I like to draw the lines in the sugar.) Fold the outer edges over at the first mark, then again into the center so that the folded edges just meet. Top with more sugar, and fold in half like a book, so that you have created a palmier "log". Chill at least 1 hour. 
 

2. Preheat oven to 350˚F. Slice the palmier log into [1/2]-inch "heart" shaped cookies. Dredge each cookie generously in sugar and space cookies 2-inches apart on prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes, until dough begins to set, then flip with a spatula and bake until golden brown and caramelized, about 10 minutes more. Cool completely before serving. 

Commencing BAKERY JURY...

These are ludicrously fat.  These would not be crisp, but soft like a cinnamon roll.  Plus they look like Jr. Bird Man spectacles, and not palm leaves.   C-

 Wrong and Wronger.  Both are overcooked, but the one on the left could pass as chocolate.   A mean trick to play on someone.  D

 It looks like this one tried to unfold itself and escape off the pan.  Alas, the temp was too hot, and it perished.  Improper folding has turned this into the letter "C" .  Coincidentally, the same as it's grade.  C

The clever cook tried to jazz these up with a layer of Nutella.  A valiant effort, but a goopy filling and  inadequate oven time has rendered them undercooked, uncaramelized, and frankly, kinda gross looking.  C-

BOOOOO! Not caramelized.  BOOOO!  D

NO!  These are not biscotti.  You may not dip.   (Also, not caramelized.  A double whammie.  D+

 Good God!  Red sugar?  Shoot me now. We'll have ot re-name these "wrong-iers"   F

Overcooked and under-folded.  I think this baker was drunk.  C- (Plus detemtion)

(For a good looking palmier, see the top of this recipe)

 

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Autumn Recipes