Palmier or “pigs’ ears” as I have always called them have been a part of me since childhood. We used to travel to the Pocono Mountains every summer and each year our first stop was the local bakery & general store to get our fresh pigs’ ears. I can still remember the wonderful smell of them baking when you walked into the store. Many years later, I am watching Ina Garten on the Food Network make what she calls, Palmier, a classic French pastry. Who knew my simple childhood treat was a classic French pastry! Over the years I learned to make Palmiers, modifying classic recipes by using less sugar and a touch of cinnamon because it adds a sense of warmth I just love. I also started experimenting with other ingredients both sweet and savory. One of my favorite experiments was with lemon curd. The crispiness of the pastry and creaminess of the lemon curd is a perfect match.
For the wine pairing, some might enjoy these pastries with a sweet wine which I am sure would work well. I personally do not care for sweet wines, so I opted for a Provence Rose. I love how the berry flavors in the wine match the citrus and acidity of the lemon curd. For the classic palmier, I prefer a Tavel rose. It is a little more structured and savory which complements the warmth of the cinnamon. Check out my Rosé pairing page to learn more.
Palmiers Two Ways
Ingredients
- 2 sheets of puff pastry (I prefer Dufour brand)
- ½ cup of granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup Lemon curd
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons flour (for dusting work surface)
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Step 2 Thaw puff pastry on the counter for approximately 30 minutes until it unfolds and is ready to roll. Make sure the dough is still cold or it will be too sticky. If this happens you can place in the refrigerator for a few minutes to firm up
- Step 3 For the Cinnamon Palmiers, combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Place 1 sheet of puff pastry on a clean work surface. Keep the other sheet of puff pastry in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Step 4 Sprinkle 1/4 cup cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the dough. Roll over the dough lightly with a rolling pin to press the sugar mixture into the dough. Continue to roll out the dough to form an even rectangle. Flip dough and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough. Roll over the dough lightly with a rolling pin to press the sugar into the dough. Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of salt evenly over the dough.
- Step 5 Tightly roll the dough by folding the long sides of the rectangle about an inch towards the middle. Fold each side again another inch towards the middle of the dough. Fold each side again another inch towards the middle until they meet. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes.
- Step 6 After chilling, slice the Palmiers approximately 1 inch thick using a sharp knife. Transfer the Palmiers to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make sure to space the Palmiers a few inches apart as they will spread. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. If it seems like the sugar on the bottom of the is starting to burn to reduce the oven temp to 375 to finish baking.
- Step 7 For the Lemon Palmiers, Remove the second sheet of puff pastry from the refrigerator and place it on a clean work surface. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of flour on the work surface so the dough does not stick while rolling out.
- Step 8 Roll out the dough to form an even rectangle, approximately 12 x 13 inches. Spread the lemon curd in an even layer over the dough, leaving a ¼ inch border.
- Step 9 Tightly roll the dough by folding the long sides of the rectangle about an inch towards the middle. Fold each side again another inch towards the middle of the dough. Fold each side again another inch towards the middle until they meet. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes.
- Step 10 Remove from the freezer and slice the Palmiers approximately 1 inch thick using a sharp knife. Transfer the Palmiers to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Make sure to space the Palmiers a few inches apart. Sprinkle each with a little sugar before baking.
- Step 11 Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. If it seems like the bottom of the Palmiers is starting to burn, reduce the oven temp to 375 to finish baking.
