Most times, I choose challenging recipes to try out mostly to push my boundaries and test my limits. I want to, as a general rule, become a better cook and a better baker. Complicated recipes with lots of ingredients usually do yield a good, tasty product but a recipe doesn’t need to be all that to be good. As a matter of fact, one of the best cookies I’ve made only contained two ingredients and it took me until today to actually make them.
I keep puff pastry in the freezer and today I felt like baking something but didn’t have the energy nor the supplies for anything elaborate. I had heard that making palmiers was easy but I didn’t think it would be THIS easy! I defrosted a sheet of the puff pastry and got to baking after lunch. From beginning to end (defrosting aside) it took me about 30 minutes and the cookies were really good!
Palmiers
1 cup vanilla (or plain) sugar, divided
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
Sprinkle a surface with 1/4 cup sugar; open the puff pastry sheet on the surface. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Roll into a 14 inch by 10 inch rectangle. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar to 1/2 inch of the edges. Lightly press into pastry.
With a knife, very lightly score a line widthwise across the middle of the pastry. Starting at one short side, roll up jelly-roll style, stopping at the score mark in the middle. Starting at the other side, roll up the same way to the score mark. Slice off the uneven ends and cut the rest of the pastry into 16 slices.
Place cut side up 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake at 425°F for 12 minutes. Turn pastries over and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bake 5 minutes longer or until golden brown and glazed. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
I can see lots of potential for this cookie. The way I see it, this recipe is a blank canvas waiting to be painted over. Can you picture them in cinnamon flavor? How about anise flavored? Ground nuts? I can!
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