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

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FOOD: Heart-Shaped Napoleon with Raspberries

Hi everyone! Alison from Heart of Gold & Luxury blog! I'm here with my first post for MadeByGirl!  I am excited to share with you an impossibly romantic dessert to enjoy with your sweetie this Valentine’s day.  The Napoleon is a classic dessert that combines layers of flaky puff pastry, luxuriously rich pastry cream scented with almond and vanilla, topped with plump ruby red raspberries and finished with a dusting of confectioners sugar.

This dessert might look intimidating but it is incredibly easy - you just have to use your creative eye to assemble this confection. This is one recipe that will impress your other half, not to mention your friends and family. In fact, you just might have them wishing that this day filled with roses and chocolates would come around more than once a year.

Ingredients:
16 ounces puff pastry, dethawed
2 cups whole milk
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, diced
½ pint fresh raspberries or strawberries

Equipment: Heart-shaped cookie cutter (optional)

 
For the Pastry Cream:
Combine 2 cups milk, ¼ cup sugar, almond extract, vanilla extract and pinch of salt in a small pan. With stovetop on medium heat, allow for mixture to come to a simmer. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine 4 egg yolks, ¼ cup sugar and ¼ cup cornstarch. Slowly whisk in the warm milk mixture to combine.  Pour mixture back into pan and return to medium heat, stirring constantly.  Pastry cream will begin to thicken rapidly.  Once mixture is thickened remove from heat, add butter and stir until combined.  Pour into a heat-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Be sure to coat the top of the pastry cream with the wrap, otherwise you will have a film that forms on the top.  Allow to cool completely in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or up to 2 days.

  For Napoleon Assembly:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Unroll puff pastry and place on lined baking sheet.  Pierce holes with a fork all over the dough.  Place a heavier baking sheet on top (a Pyrex pan is perfect) and allow to cook for approximately 25 minutes. Pastry is done with it is golden brown.  Allow to cool completely.  Once cooled, cut out pastry into hearts if desired.  Place pastry cream into a sealed plastic ziplock bag.  Cut the tip off and fill one side of the pastry with cream, top with raspberries and then place another piece of pastry on top. Finish with a dusting of confectioners sugar. 

*Makes about 3 to 4 servings depending on size of cookie-cutter

*Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

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