How to Shape Palmiers

Puff pastry is folded and shaped to create the elegant curves of palmiers.

Palmiers, also known as 'elephant ears' in the United States, are a French creation. These delectable treats are made from puff pastry and can be either savory or sweet, depending on the recipe. The fun of making palmiers is in shaping them into the two matching curves, wrapped around cheese or simply sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. It takes just a few minutes to shape your palmiers into elegant treats for your guests. Does this Spark an idea?

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Flat, clean surface
Puff pastry
Rolling pin
Plastic wrap
Sharp kitchen knife
Parchment paper
Baking sheet

Instructions

- 1
  
  Prepare a sheet of puff pastry that measures about 10" by 12". If necessary, use the rolling pin to gently shape the rectangle of puff pastry into the desired dimensions. Be careful not to smash the puff pastry when you roll it, as the air in the pastry is what creates the crisp, puffy effect after baking.
- 2
  
  Cover the whole surface of the puff pastry rectangle with the filling or topping, such as cinnamon and sugar, as instructed by the recipe.
- 3
  
  Fold each long side of the puff pastry into the center of the puff pastry rectangle. Be gentle as you fold to retain some of the air in the puff pastry. Fold each long side of the puff pastry over into the center of the rectangle one more time so that there are four layers of folded puff pastry on each half of the sheet.
- 4
  
  Fold the right side of the puff pastry over and onto the left side of the puff pastry so that the two rolls you created in Step 3 are on top of each other.
- 5
  
  Wrap the roll in plastic wrap to keep the puff pastry moist and place in the fridge for about 30-60 minutes until the log has hardened slightly.
- 6
  
  Unwrap the puff pastry roll and place on a cutting surface. Line a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. Cut the puff pastry roll into 1/4" to 1" thick slices, depending on how thick you would like the finished palmiers to be. Place each slice on the prepared baking sheet and bake according to the recipe.