Introducing Palmiers, those delightful French cookies that are as sweet and buttery as they are easy to devour. The name “Palmiers” translates to “palm trees” in English, inspired by their resemblance to the elegant shape of palm leaves.
Say it as “pal-mee-ei” and imagine a delicate crispiness that makes these cookies simply melt in your mouth. Picture yourself having a proper English tea time with a cup of Earl Grey (add in some half-and-half and a spoonful of honey for the perfect touch).
Palmiers
Ingredients
Puff Pastry (enough for 2 sheets):
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter chilled & cut into cubes
- 10-12 tbsp cold water
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter shredded
- 1 egg for the wash
And for the Palmiers:
- 1 sheet puff pastry
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
### Puff Pastry:
- In a food processor, blend flour, salt, and butter until it’s crumbly. Add cold water gradually until the dough starts coming together. It should be crumbly but easily form into a ball when pinched.
- Place the mix on a surface, gently form it into a ball, and roll it into an 8×12” rectangle. Cover and freeze for 20 minutes.
- While that’s chilling, shred the remaining butter and freeze for 15 minutes.
- Spread half of the shredded butter on 2/3 of the pastry sheet. Fold the bottom third up and the top third down. Freeze for 15 minutes.
- Rotate 90 degrees, roll into an 8×12” sheet, and repeat with the remaining butter. Freeze for 10 minutes.
- Roll out into a large rectangle, do a double turn (in fourths). Rotate 90 degrees, roll out again, and make a single turn (in thirds).
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then roll into a 12×24” sheet. Divide into 2 halves, cover, and store in the fridge or freezer.
### Palmiers:
- Mix sugar and salt. Spread half onto 1 puff pastry sheet. Fold it into thirds, rotate 90 degrees, and roll out into a 5×20” rectangle.
- Sprinkle the other half of the sugar mix and press gently. Fold each edge inwards so they meet in the middle. Repeat once more. Flatten with a rolling pin, then fold into half to create the palmier shape.
- Place in the fridge for 20 minutes and preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Cut the pastry into 10 palmiers along the length, each about 1/2” wide. Place them on a lined baking sheet and brush with the egg wash.
- Bake for 20 minutes, flipping upside down halfway.
- Enjoy your homemade Palmiers!