Sometimes these cookies are referred to as elephant ears, or pig ears, because of their shape. The French call them coeur de France, French hearts.
So Cute and Perfect with Tea
Palmiers are one of my favorite store-bought cookies. I usually buy them at Trader Joes. Then one day I couldn’t find them. The stock clerk in the aisle said they’re only around during the holidays. He suggested I try Belgian Butter Waffle Cookies so I tossed a box in my grocery cart.
Well, I gave them a try. They’re fine: flat, waffle-shaped with a jagged edge. But they’re not Palmiers. Real Palmiers look more like a scroll rolled up from both ends and cut into slices. Being light, flat, and flaky, they give the illusion of fewer calories.
“I Can Make These!” I Said to Myself
When I googled Palmiers, was I ever surprised—they contain 3 ingredients and can be made in 35 minutes! Wow! More reasons to love the little French pastry that goes so well with tea or coffee. I never dreamed I’d be able to make them with so little effort. But, I did.
Palmiers made with 3 simple ingredients: puff pastry, sugar and cinnamon
I found that Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa, has a 5-star recipe for Palmiers, using sugar, no cinnamon. Daring to tamper with simplicity, I went with the recipe on the FoodNetwork, that included a bit of orange rind as well as cinnamon and less sugar.
Rolling and Folding the Puff Pastry
Fun to Make
I have to say, this is one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever tried. Because the dough involves some folding, it’s best to watch the video or, at least, look at the photos above to make sure you get it right. Also be sure to use parchment paper on your cookie sheet and watch the baking times, because the cookies need to be flipped midway.
My well-watched first batch turned out perfect. I couldn’t wait to take pictures of them and left the second batch in a bit longer than I preferred. Moral: Don’t turn the camera on until you’ve turned the oven off.
Here’s a printable version of the recipe I used.
