FOOD: Cinnamon and Sugar Palmiers

Hi there, Amanda here from A Life Well Lived. Today I am sharing one of my super simple and super delicious entertaining secrets - puffed pastry. Store bought puffed pasty is a godsend. It is versatile, easy, and always delicious. I love to use it both in sweet treats and savory dishes- so I always keep a box in my freezer just in case. Today I am sharing with you my easy puffed pastry recipe for the French cookies - palmiers.

I  love palmiers because they remind me of elephant ears I used to get at the country fair growing up. Elephant ears were huge (huge!) pieces of fried dough topped with mounds and mounds of cinnamon and sugar.

These palmiers are a little more sophisticated and instead of frying the dough, layers of sweet puffed pastry are baked until golden and crispy.

My choice in puffed pastry is Dufor Brand from Whole Foods. I know it is a little more expensive than the Pepperridge Farm version, but the reason I like Dufor is that it uses real butter. But if Pepperridge Farms is easier for you - no worries - I promise your palmiers will be just as delicious.

 

There are so many different versions  you can make these palmiers. Right now they are sweet palmiers stuffed with cinnamon and sugar but you could also add in lemon in place of the cinnamon to make them light and refreshing. Or maybe brown sugar and cardamon.  I like recipes that are versatile and can be amended pretty easily depending on what I want. These puffed pastry palmiers are just that.

You don't have to keep them sweet either. You can make savory palmiers by using parmesan cheese and an herb like thyme or rosemary or maybe get crazy and add in proscuitto and djion mustard. The possibilities are endless. So if you like to entertain try these palmiers  - you can make them ahead of time and bake them off just as your guests arrive.

INGREDIENTS & HOW TO MAKE:

1 box puffed pastry such as Dufor Puffed Pastry 

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Make sure to defrost puffed pastry in the refrigerator  2 -3 hours (or overnight) before making these cookies.

Preheat oven to 400F.

On a well floured board or countertop, unfold puffed pastry and roll out to a 13 x 15 rectangle. Combine sugar and cinnamon and spread over puffed pastry in an even layer. Beginning at the shorter end of the rectangle roll in the puffed pastry until you reach the center. Repeat on the other side of the puffed pastry.  Cut 1/4" cookies out of the dough and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for about 10 - 12 minutes or until palmiers are browned and sugar has begun to caramelize.


have a nice weekend!!!!


-post by amanda frederickson smiley