I wasn’t going to publish this post because I wasn’t happy with the way the photos turned out. That happens more often than I like when I’m in a hurry and don’t have the time to fuss with the lighting. Winter days here in the Pacific Northwest can be gloomy and my dining room where I take my photos doesn’t get the best light even in midday. But…what the heck…here it is. If you click on the above picture you can better see how the nuts form a sugary crust on the pastry.
Purchased puff pastry is on the short list of essential staples in my kitchen. I’ve never tried to make it from scratch because several inexpensive brands are available in the grocery store and I can imagine how time consuming it can be to make the buttery, flaky dough from start to finish…one of these days I may tackle it…but not today. I love it for its versatility, how easy it is to work with and for the endless number of ways it can be used. I needed a little cookie to serve with ice cream and decided on PALMIERS, a classic French pastry that is rolled in sugar…lots of sugar…and baked in the oven until the edges caramelize and the pastry dough becomes light and flaky. I wrote a post about PALMIERS several years ago and described the experience this way. “Palmiers are light-as-air, buttery, flaky, caramely, French pastries that are so good you will amaze yourself that you are able to make them. The truly amazing part of all this is that you need only two ingredients to produce these beautiful creations. There are many internet sites that give similar instructions, and, after making several recipes using slightly different techniques, I came up with what I think is fantastic, delicious, impressive, and a complete winner.” I carry a number of hazelnut products in my web store and got the idea as I was getting ready to make my old favorite palmiers that it might be delicious if I added some TOASTED HAZELNUT MEAL to the sugar that I was about to roll the sheets of pastry in. If you would like to try my new version of palmiers just go to my EARLIER POST, add 1/4 cup hazelnut meal to each cup of sugar you use to roll out your pastry dough. Keep patting the sugar/nut mixture into the dough at each step. After you have rolled and sliced the palmiers give the slices a light roll with a rolling pin into more sugar. You may cringe at the amount of sugar used but the baked palmiers really don’t taste that sweet. The roasted hazelnuts caramelize with the sugar into a nutty, crusty edge on the spirals…so delicious.
The sugar/nut coating on the PALMIERS in the above photos masks the delicate layers of pastry you find in traditional PALMIERS. The cookies in the lower photo are made with just sugar. In the above photos I used Pepperidge Farm puffed pastry dough…good quality and what I use on a regular basis. In the photo below I used DUFOUR CLASSIC PUFF PASTRY. The difference between these two products is that Pepperidge Farm pastry is made with vegetable oil and Dufour is made with butter. Dufour is approximately four times as expensive as Pepperidge Farm and is available at Whole Foods…and, I might add, worth every penny of the difference in cost. If you would like to know more about DUFOUR CLASSIC PUFF PASTRY click HERE to get to go to their web site for information about their products and recipes.
You can find pastries similar to PALMIERS in many American bakeries, but it wasn’t until I purchased one at Laduree in Paris that I truly appreciated how amazing the French version is. Laduree’s are the size of salad plates and are made of hundreds of layers of buttery dough. And they are caramelized to perfection. I don’t have a picture to share with you but will be sure to get one when I go to Paris in May. I love their macarons and always manage to consume a box or two during my stay, but to be very honest Laduree’s palmiers and kouglofs (truly one of the most delicious things I’ve ever eaten) are my first choices.
This post is linked to FOODIE FRIDAY at Rattlebridge Farm
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Those sound good!
Oh Cathy..I can do that and I am excited. I think your photo is perfect. I do think the whole world is having problems with taking pictures in this winter light (or lack of). I wish I had one of these right now to go with a cup of coffee. Beautiful.
Susan recently posted..Roasted Broccoli
These look delicious Cathy. I love the idea of using hazelnuts – a very nice twist.
I sometimes have problems with lighting, even here in sunny Florida. Some days weren’t meant for photos
Have a great weekend.
Sam
Sam @ My Carolina Kitchen recently posted..Jacques Pepin’s Pork Sausage Rolls with Potatoes, Onions & Tomatoes
This was my mother’s favorite dessert..un palmier:) When I was a young girl…maybe 10 yrs old so almost 50 yrs ago..there was a wonderful French pastry shop that still exists today..and my mom would buy a few palmiers..I used to love taking off one later after the next sideways and eating them:)
Yours look wonderful~
Monique recently posted..Aromatherapy~Knitting Therapy and a Recipe~Or two~
My mother would have loved these made with her favorite filberts. I am going to try these the next time I have a hankering for something sweet. I always have a package of puff pastry in the freezer.
I have only found Pepperidge Farms here…may be a good thing seeing the Dufour is made with butter, which happens to be one of my downfalls!
Marigene recently posted..Vera Bradley Strikes Again!
Cathy, these look fantastic! I’ve ever tried making them but you have inspired me.
I’ll take these palmiers any day over macarons. And your photos are beautiful. I think we bloggers are too hard on ourselves.
CiaochowLinda recently posted..Bagna Cauda
I can easily imagine the flaky crunch of this yummy looking treat, Cathy! I think puff pastry must be what I was making all those years when I was doing clothepin cookies, only I didn’t know it back then. Roll it out, spread with Crisco, fold over x3, refrigerate & then repeat several more times during the day. Not hard at all, just a little effort every few hours. It was the rolling onto clothespins & the filling of the baked shells that was so much work! These palmiers shapes would be soooo much easier! I shall try them soon.
Hugs,
Rett
p.s. I feel the same way about the early darkness here but it is getting better. Each day I see little increments in the daylight. Soon~~Soon
BTW, I think your photo is great & I pinned it.
Rettabug recently posted..Snowflakes for Sandy Hook
Cathy, I can assure you that your photos are beautiful. Believe me. I haven’t made Palmiers in ages, and I forgot how fun they are– sweet or savory. You’ve reminded me to make them against. I don’t mind rain, but I have to say that food photography goes downhill this time of year. Spring will be here, before we know it!
Foodiewife recently posted..Baked Rigatoni with Roasted Cauliflower In A Spicy Pink Sauce
I don’t know, these are coming across pretty good to me—especially those nutty crusty edges!
Now I am hungry for French pastries of all kinds. I like also visiting the Dufour website. Some good ideas there for tea parties.
Marilyn recently posted..France Revisited
I always find palmiers taste pretty amazing and lovely to look at too…your last photo is really tempting me to give this recipe a try! Hope you have a good weekend!
Jeannie recently posted..Bake Along #38 – Cold Oven Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Your palmiers look extremely cruncy & tasty!
Special in flavour too!
Ah–Paris in springtime…I am SO happy for you:)
Blessings,
Aimee
Those pictures are fine to me. I gave up on having great quality pictures.
They look and sound good.
Those look so good. I want one right now!!!!
: ) Kris
They must be very delicious and addictive!
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Belgian Endive and Mandarin Orange Salad
i think your photos look great, as do these delectable cookies!
teresa recently posted..Greek Yogurt Blueberry Banana Bread
I’m still learning how to use my camera and our cloudy days are challenging to me here in the northeast. Your Palmiers look yummy!
~Judy
JG recently posted..Pear- Apple Craisin Crisp
Your photos look wonderful as always! Now I want some sweets
I feel your pain with lighting during the winter. You have to be taking photos at exactly the right time of day these days. Regardless, I think your photos really show how beautiful and flaky they are. There is something so irresistible about the shape of Palmiers! I love the hazelnuts in this recipe – great idea!
Susan recently posted..Angie’s German Hard Rolls
If someone said to me “you should make puff pastry from scratch”, I’d laugh very hard. I can’t imagine. But if anyone could, it’s you Cathy. And with our short days there are times that I just have to post a photo that I’m less than proud of. This looks times better than a couple I’ve posted. C’mon Spring.
These look fabulous Cathy. And also, I’m saving that broccoli recipe you just posted also. That will be a nice change from steamed.
Lea Ann (Cooking on the Ranch) recently posted..SRC Reveal, Coq au Vin
We don’t have a Whole Foods in New Hampshire…so I have to use the reliable Pepperidge Farms. Your cookie photos are fine as they make me wish I had one right now. I have to take all my photos at night as I photograph right before I put a meal on the table.
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..Spaghetti Squash With Chicken Meatballs And Basil Tomato Sauce
Forget the broccoli, double me up on these. They look wonderful! I wish Costco would carry the puff pastry, here it is almost 5 dollars for a box, and I think that is a lot.
They look delicious! I hear you about the light, and I never “fix” up my pics, too time consuming. What you see is what you get! Not all of us have a studio or bother with a light box!
Kathleen recently posted..Mid-January Red and Black~ Let’s Dish!
I love palmiers and should really make them more often since I love making puff pastry. I absolutely am crazy about your idea of dusting with the ground hazelnuts! What a treat and better than just the traditional sugary coating. I think those photos are perfect because they make us all want a few palmiers to eat!
Jamie recently posted..CINNAMON SUGAR OR SOUR CHERRY JAM FANTANS