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These French cookies are fantastic and so easy-to-make. Palmiers
are crisp, buttery, sweet, and very elegant. The name means “palm leaves” in
French. These cookies are also known as “Elephant Ear.” In Germany
they’re called “Schweineohren”. Traditionally, the recipe is time consuming and labor intensive, but
commercial puff pastry makes an almost identical substitute. Of
course you can make your own puff pastry, but why?
More favorite
Cookie Recipes
and
Secrets
To Making Perfect Cookies. Also learn
How
To Have A Successful Holiday Cookie Exchange or Cookie Swap.
Shop
What's Cooking America's Kitchen Store for all
your cooking wants and needs. The store includes a large assortment
for all your cookie baking
needs such as
cookie sheets,
wire cooling racks,
brownie pans,
cookie
cutters,
cookie press,
cookie decorating kits,
Silicone Baking Mats,
and
more.
Palmier Cookies Recipe - Elephant Ear Cookies Recipe
Recipe Type:
Cookies,
Christmas Cookie,
Puff Pastry, Rolled & Cutout Cookies
Cuisine: French
Yields: approximately 20
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients:
1 cup granulated
sugar, divided
Extra granulated sugar for dusting
3 to 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 (17-1/4 ounce) package frozen butter puff pastry sheets, thawed*
* Pepperidge FarmŽ Puff Pastry Sheets
is easy to use and
can be found at most local grocery stores. For the best quality,
both
Trader Joe's and Whole Foods carry an all-butter puff pastry that is great.
In each box of puff pastry, there are two sheets. You can use one or both,
depending on how many palmier cookies you want to make. Thaw dough at
room temperature for about 1 hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.
Preparation:
Line baking sheets with parchment Paper or a Silpat baking mat
In a small bowl, mix together 3/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon; set aside.
Sprinkle 1/4 cup sugar on a clean work surface.
Gently unfold one of the pastry sheets. Place the pastry sheet on
top of the sugared work surface, and sprinkle evenly with 1/2 of the
sugar/cinnamon mixture to within 1/2-inch of the
edges. Gently press the sugar/cinnamon into the pastry.
Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough into a 9 x 15-inch rectangle
1/8 inch thick, being careful not to press too hard around the edges.
Continually coat both sides of the rolling pin with sugar.
Place the dough so one of the long sides is closest to you. Using your
fingers, roll the dough length-wise into a long cylinder, as tightly as
possible without stretching it (as you would a roll of wrapping papers),
stopping when you reach the middle. Repeat the same rolling procedure with
the other long side until you have two (2) tight cylinders that meet in the
middle. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; place in the refrigerator to chill at
least 1 hour.
After the dough has chilled, remove from the refrigerator and unwrap the
dough. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough crosswise into 3/8-inch-thick
slices (they’ll look like little scrolls). Sprinkle
the tops with approximately 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Place
the palmiers on the prepared baking sheets, and firmly flatten with the palm
of your hand. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1
hour.
Repeat with remaining dough sheet, if desired.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place the palmiers in the oven and bake 5 minutes. Reduce the oven
temperature to 400 degrees and continue baking until the pastry is golden
brown and well caramelized, approximately 10 minutes.
NOTE: if baking more than one sheet at a time in one oven, switch positions halfway
through baking. Remove from the oven; using a thin spatula, immediately transfer
the palmiers to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve shiny side up. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Palmiers are best the day they're made. Store palmiers airtight at room temperature
up to 3 days; freeze to store longer.
One sheet of pasty dough makes about 20 Palmiers.
