How to Make Beautiful Palmiers with Handmade Rough Puff Pastry

This pastry is so versatile that I cannot stop using it! But I promise this one will be the last one for 2022. And what better way to finish this series than making something sweet.

Palmiers are so simple yet tasty and beautiful. They go by various names like pig’s ears, palm leaves, elephant ears, hearts, or glasses. Apparently originated in France they would normally be made with puff pastry. Rough puff can be used for most projects requiring regular puff pastry, so this is the perfect use for it.

This is by far the simplest rough puff pastry recipe I’ve made so far. But if you’re feeling extra lazy, then you can just use some store bough puff pastry and follow the filling and shaping method towards the end of the video.

This recipe makes 16 small palmiers. To make more simply multiply the ingredients.

Watch the video down below for detailed instructions.

Ingredients

For the pastry –

250g (8.8oz) white bread flour

200g (7oz) cold butter, cut into cubes

5g (0.17oz) salt

80g (2.8oz) cold water

For the filling –

70g (2.45oz) sugar

6g (0.21oz) cinnamon

3g (0.1oz) cardamom

*Mix all together

1 egg for brushing

For the sugar syrup –

30g (1oz) water

40g (1.4oz) sugar

*Bring to a boil just before the pastries come out the oven

Method

1. In a large bowl combine the flour and salt. Mix well. Add the butter cubes and coat them with flour. Break each butter cube into 4 pieces. Do not break the butter up too much as this dough will not turn out the way it should if you do.
2. Add the water and mix until there is no dry flour left. Do not work the dough too much. Press it together slowly and do not knead it.
3. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Dust the dough and the table with flour generously. Roll the dough out to three times its length. Straighten the edges and fold it in three layers.
5. Roll it out again and fold it into three layers once more. Wrap it up and chill it for 1 hour.
6. Repeat the same steps as before. Roll the dough out. Fold in 3. Roll out again and fold into 3 once more. Wrap up and refrigerate for 1 hour. Now it is ready to be used for any project you decide to use it for.
7. To make the palmiers roll out the dough to a large rectangle. Brush with egg all over generously. Sprinkle the cinnamon & cardamom sugar mix evenly all over the dough.
8. Roll the dough up from either side to meet in the middle.
9. Cut into 16 equal pieces and place on a non-stick paper lined tray.
10. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 210C (410F) fan off for 22 minutes. Flip the palmiers and bake for another 3 minutes.
11. Brush with the hot sugar syrup as soon as they come out of the oven.

Leave to cool down and enjoy!