Palmiers (Elephant Ears)

Palmiers, which are french for “Palm Tree”, are also known as elephant ears and our family calls the butterfly pastries due to their heart-like or butterfly shape. They’re made from puff pastry and coated in sugar for a crisp, light, fairy sweet afternoon treat.

Our family ate these a lot in the past but we usually were accustomed the generic store-bought ones. When my mom bought a box a few months back and I tried one, I felt a bit let down. They were crisp and sweet, but a bit too hard and not light and airy. I was determined to make a better version with no long list of additives and less sugar.

However, I am not someone who is well-versed in puff pastry and the thought of actually making my own was far too daunting. So what did I do? I went out and bought a box of frozen puff pastry. And for this, I have no shame. Puff pastry is one of those things where I think it’s far more economic and time-saving to just buy. The end product is extremely satisfying and it’s just not worth busting out pounds of butter to make.

Therefore, these Palmiers are going to be the easiest pastries you’ll make. There’s only two ingredients– puff pastry and sugar. You can easily change the sugar content if you prefer sweeter cookies as well. Just remember to slice the cookies when they’re nice and cool and keep a very close eye on them in the oven! My first batch ended up slightly burnt when I left them in a minute longer. As soon as they’re golden-brown, go ahead and remove them.

Note*** This version of the recipe is solely mine. When re-posting, please cite me and my website.

 

Copyright june 2016 ©

 

2-ingredient crisp and light pastry cookies–Palmiers
>>> Yields 20 cookies

Time:
-Prep: 10 min + 30 min rest time
-Bake: 10 min

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet of thawed puff pastry
• 1/4 C white sugar + extra for sprinkling
• optional: honey for brushing on

Instructions:

1) Let the puff pastry sheet thaw for 20 minutes from the freezer so that it’s pliable but not too soft and warm.
2) Lightly roll out the puff pastry so that it’s about 1/8 inch thick.
3) Sprinkle an even layer on the top with most of the sugar and reserve 1 tbsp for later.
4) Using the rolling pin, lightly press the sugar into the dough.
5) Fold either side in about half way and lightly sprinkle half of the tbsp with sugar on the folded edge. Repeat step 4.
6) Fold in both sides in so that they are touching. Sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar and repeat step 4.
7) Fold one side over the other like a book.
8) Refrigerate the log of dough for 20-30 minutes until firm and cool.
9) Preheat the oven to 425 F.
10) Slice the cookies into half inch strips. Lay them cut side up on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving about an inch between each cookie.
11) Sprinkle additional sugar on top before baking.
12) Bake for 10-12 minutes until browned and the cookies have puffed up.
13) Remove from oven and let cool completely. If desired, brush lightly with honey while still warm. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Happy eats!