Palmiers

These "palm leaves" or "elephant ears" showcase puff pastry's simplest application—just pastry and sugar creating caramelized perfection.

Classic Sugar Palmiers

Yield: 20-24 palmiers Prep time: 20 minutes + chilling Bake time: 15-20 minutes

#### Ingredients - 1 sheet puff pastry (store-bought or homemade), thawed if frozen - 100g granulated sugar - Pinch of salt

#### Instructions

1. Prepare surface: Sprinkle work surface generously with sugar (not flour).

2. Roll pastry: Place puff pastry on sugared surface. Sprinkle top with sugar. Roll into 30x40cm rectangle, pressing sugar into dough.

3. Form palmiers: Fold long sides to meet in center. Fold again to center. Finally, fold one half over the other like closing a book. You'll have 6 layers.

4. Chill: Wrap in plastic, refrigerate 30 minutes until firm.

5. Slice and bake: Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Cut roll into 1cm slices. Place cut-side up on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing well apart.

6. Bake: Bake 12 minutes, flip each palmier, bake additional 5-8 minutes until deeply caramelized.

Variations: - Cinnamon Spice: Mix cinnamon with sugar - Savory Pesto: Replace sugar with pesto and parmesan - Chocolate: Spread thin layer of Nutella before rolling

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