I love Palmiers at Christmas time! But making the dough is very time consuming.  In fact last year I just didn’t ever make any.  So I put on my thinking cap and thought I’d try making them with regular pie crust. Sure they might not have as many delicate layers but it was either that or no palmiers.

 

 

 

Roll out dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a rectangle approximately 1/8 inch thick,

 

 

Sprinkle with sugar.

 

 

sprinkle with cinnamon if you like.

 

 

Carefully roll each long edge toward the center. Use the plastic wrap to help roll tightly.

 

 

Wrap it up and put in the fridge or pop in the freezer until very firm but not frozen.

 

 

Then where you’re ready to bake get out the ‘logs’.

 

 

Slice crosswise into 3/8-inch slices.

 

 

 

 

I cut all of them and popped them back in freezer until I was ready.

 

 

I used my hand instead of a rolling pin to lightly flatten. Then sprinkled the center of each with more sugar.As the oven was heating to 450.

 

 

Confession time, yes, I did. I got tired of waiting and walked off for a few minutes and this is what I came back to!

 

 

Not being made from proper puff pastry dough hasn’t stopped anyone from eating them so I’m satisfied with my variation.

 

 

let cool and serve or make ahead and freeze.

 

Lazy Palmiers

adapted from a Martha Stewart recipe that I can’t find.

 

• 3/4 cup sugar, plus additional for sprinkling
• Gluten free pie crust or regular home made pie crust or bought pie crust

 

 

Roll out dough between sheets of plastic wrap into a rectangle approximately 1/8 inch thick, continually sprinkling with additional sugar to prevent the dough from sticking. Sprinkle surface with sugar (optional, add cinnamon)

Working quickly but gently, roll each long end to the center of the pastry, use plastic wrap to help roll it up, making sure to roll tightly and evenly. Freeze rolled log for 20 minutes, until very firm but not frozen. Slice crosswise into 3/8-inch slices. Roll over each palmier with a rolling pin to lightly flatten, and sprinkle the center of each with more sugar. Place palmiers 2 inches apart on water-sprayed baking sheets. Freeze for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake palmiers 4 to 6 minutes, until golden on the underside. Flip with a spatula, pressing down to flatten if palmiers seem to be unrolling. Bake 2 to 4 minutes more, watching carefully, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

 

This is my version of gluten free pie crust that I’m pretty happy with. It’s my regular recipe I used to use but I just use Bob’s gluten free flour and a pinch of xanthan gum instead of regular flour.

 

 

I start with a glass of water and a few ice cubes in there to get the water good and cold by the time I’m ready.

 

 

In a bowl I add sugar,

 

 

salt, gluten free all purpose flour and a pinch of xanthan gum

 

 

Then I chop frozen butter into small pieces

 

 

I mean small pieces.

 

 

Add the butter to the flour mix.

 

 

Because I’ve cut my butter pretty small I don’t have as much cutting to do with the pastry blender. Always thinking I am.

 

 

When the butter bits get to the size of small peas I stop. I stop even if I think there’s just one more butter piece I could cut.

 

 

Add water by the tablespoonful and stir in with a fork.

 

 

When the dough gets clumpy like this I set down the fork and use my hands.

Here it looks like it needs just a teeny bit more water.

 

 

 

divide dough in two, wrap and refrigerate for a hour or overnight or make ahead and freeze.

 

 

Gluten free Pie crust

• 2 1/2 cups Bob's gluten free flour
• 1/2  teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks  unsalted butter, very cold
• 1 cup water, with a few ice cubes

 

In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar and salt. Dice two sticks of very cold unsalted butter into small pieces. Add butter pieces to flour mixture.
Cut butter into the flour with a  pastry blender until the butter pieces are the size of small peas.
Drizzle tablespoons  at a time of the cold water over the butter and flour mixture. Stir in with a fork until it's making big clumps then work it with our hands.

Stop adding water Just before the dough turns slimy it's even ok if there's a little dry looking spots.Kneed it a little.
Divide the dough in half, and wrap with plastic wrap.  Let the dough chill in the fridge for one hour, or over night.

Palmiers; A cookie made of butter and sugar! And a little flour.
Irresistibly eatable. Don't make them if you don't want to be tempted. I'd call these Christmas cookies but I know there won't be any around by Christmas.


Get out about 14 oz of Puff Pastry dough or just cut off about a third of it. Sprinkle a clean work surface with half the sugar. Place dough over sugar, and sprinkle with remaining sugar.


Using a rolling pin, gently press sugar into dough, rolling out dough slightly; rotate dough frequently to prevent sticking.


With longer side of dough toward you, fold over edge, and roll tightly with your hands until you reach the middle. Turn dough so the unrolled edge is toward you, and roll again, meeting first roll in center. Chill dough in refrigerator 1 hour.


Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices,


and place on baking sheets. Chill in the refrigerator 1 hour.


Bake the palmiers 5 minutes Reduce oven temperature to 400° Continue baking until golden brown and well caramelized, about 10 minutes.


Transfer Palmiers to a wire rack to cool completely, and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.


Flaky and buttery is not an insult, it's just good.

Palmiers
• 14-ounces of Puff Pastry dough (Recipe)
• 3/4 cup sugar

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Defrost pastry according to the manufacturer’s directions. Line two baking sheets with parchment, and set aside.
2. Sprinkle a clean work surface with half the sugar. Place dough over sugar, and sprinkle with remaining sugar. Using a rolling pin, gently press sugar into dough, rolling out dough slightly; rotate dough frequently to prevent sticking. With longer side of dough toward you, fold over edge, and roll tightly with your hands until you reach the middle. Turn dough so the unrolled edge is toward you, and roll again, meeting first roll in center. Chill dough in refrigerator 1 hour.
3. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and place on baking sheets. Chill in the refrigerator 1 hour
4. Bake the palmiers 5 minutes Reduce oven temperature to 400° Continue baking until golden brown and well caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer Palmiers to a wire rack to cool completely, and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Puff Pastry dough is a lot of fun to make if you have enough time like 5 or so hours.


Four sticks of butter! Yes, four sticks of butter for this.


1. Make the dough package: Whisk together flours and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, incorporate butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.


Form a well in center; pour in cold water.


Using your hands, gradually draw flour mixture over water, covering and gathering until mixture begins to come together. In bowl, knead until dough just comes together, about 15 seconds. Pat into a rough ball; turn out onto plastic wrap. Wrap tightly; refrigerate 1 hour.


Make the butter package: Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons flour on a piece of parchment paper. Place sticks of butter on top; sprinkle with remaining 11/2 teaspoons flour.


Using a rolling pin, pound butter to soften and flatten to about 1/2 inch thick.


fold butter package in half onto itself. Replace top parchment; pound until butter is 1/2 inch thick. Repeat 2 or 3 times, or until butter becomes quite pliable. Using your hands, shape into a 6-inch square. Wrap well in plastic; refrigerate until cold, up to 10 minutes.


Roll dough: Place dough package on a lightly floured work surface. Gently roll dough into a 9-inch round. Place butter package in center of dough round. Using a paring knife or bench scraper, lightly score dough to outline the butter square; remove butter, and set aside.


Starting from each side of the center square, gently roll out dough with the rolling pin, forming four flaps, each 4 to 5 inches long; do not touch the raised square in center of dough.


Place butter package on center square. Fold flaps of dough over butter to enclose. Press to seal.


Using the rolling pin, press down on dough at regular intervals over entire surface until it is about 1 inch thick. Gently roll out into a rectangle, about 9 by 20 inches.


Starting at the near end, fold the rectangle in thirds as you would a business letter; this completes the first single turn. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour.

Repeat step 5, giving it 5 more single turns. (Always start with the flap opening on the right.) Refrigerate 1 hour between each turn. After the sixth and final turn, wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before using.


Puff Pastry dough
• FOR THE DOUGH PACKAGE
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 3/4 cup cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 3/4 cups cold water
• FOR THE BUTTER PACKAGE
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 cups cold (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
Directions
1. Make the dough package: Whisk together flours and salt in a large bowl. Using your fingers, incorporate butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.
2. Form a well in center; pour in cold water. Using your hands, gradually draw flour mixture over water, covering and gathering until mixture begins to come together. In bowl, knead until dough just comes together, about 15 seconds. Pat into a rough ball; turn out onto plastic wrap. Wrap tightly; refrigerate 1 hour.
3. Make the butter package: Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons flour on a piece of parchment paper. Place sticks of butter on top; sprinkle with remaining 11/2 teaspoons flour. Top with parchment. Using a rolling pin, pound butter to soften and flatten to about 1/2 inch thick. Remove top parchment; fold butter package in half onto itself. Replace top parchment; pound until butter is 1/2 inch thick. Repeat 2 or 3 times, or until butter becomes quite pliable. Using your hands, shape into a 6-inch square. Wrap well in plastic; refrigerate until cold, up to 10 minutes.
4. Roll dough: Place dough package on a lightly floured work surface. Gently roll dough into a 9-inch round. Place butter package in center of dough round. Using a paring knife or bench scraper, lightly score dough to outline the butter square; remove butter, and set aside. Starting from each side of the center square, gently roll out dough with the rolling pin, forming four flaps, each 4 to 5 inches long; do not touch the raised square in center of dough. Place butter package on center square. Fold flaps of dough over butter to enclose. Press to seal.
5. Using the rolling pin, press down on dough at regular intervals over entire surface until it is about 1 inch thick. Gently roll out into a rectangle, about 9 by 20 inches, with one of the short sides closest to you. Keep corners even by squaring them with the side of the rolling pin or your hands. Brush off any excess flour. Starting at the near end, fold the rectangle in thirds as you would a business letter; this completes the first single turn. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate 1 hour.
6. Repeat step 5, giving it 5 more single turns. (Always start with the flap opening on the right.) Refrigerate 1 hour between each turn. After the sixth and final turn, wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before using.