- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Total
- 38 min
- kcal
- 259.4
- protein
- 2.9 g
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
What you’ll need — tap to tick off as you go
- 320 g
- 80 g
- 1 g
- 1 g
Process
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Line two baking trays with baking paper. Keep the puff pastry in the fridge until the moment you use it; warm pastry tears and loses its layers.
Scatter half the granulated sugar over a clean work surface. Unroll the chilled puff pastry on top and scatter the remaining sugar and the fine salt (and cinnamon, if using) evenly over the surface.
Press the sugar gently into the pastry with your palms or a rolling pin, then roll the pastry into a neat 30 x 25 cm rectangle about 3 mm thick, pressing the sugar into both sides.
Fold the two short sides of the rectangle inwards so their edges meet exactly in the centre of the pastry, like closing a book.
Fold the pastry in half again along that centre line, so one half sits directly on top of the other, forming a long flat log.
Wrap the log in baking paper and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days, so the butter firms up and the layers hold their shape when cut.
Heat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C). Unwrap the chilled log and cut it crossways into 1 cm thick slices with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts.
Lay the slices cut-side up on the lined trays, leaving 4 cm between them, and press each one flat with the palm of your hand so it bakes evenly.
Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, turning each palmier over with a spatula after 10 minutes, until both sides are deep golden brown and the sugar has caramelised at the edges.
Slide the palmiers onto a wire rack straight away, because the hot sugar will stick to the paper as it cools, and leave them to crisp for 10 minutes before eating.
Kitchen notes
Kitchen notes
- The one mistake most people make is cutting the log while the butter is soft: if the slices squash instead of cutting cleanly, put the log back in the fridge for 15 minutes.
- Do not underbake them. Pale palmiers taste of raw pastry; wait until the sugar at the edges is a rich amber and the centres are dry and golden, then pull them out.
- Roll the pastry thin, about 3 mm, so the layers bake crisp rather than doughy, and use a metal tray, which conducts heat better than dark non-stick trays and stops the bases burning.
- If the sugar starts to darken too fast in the last minutes, lower the oven to 180°C and finish baking; burnt sugar turns bitter within seconds.
Substitutions
- granulated sugar→demerara sugar for a crunchier, toffee-like finish
- ground cinnamon→finely grated orange zest or a pinch of ground cardamom
- all-butter puff pastry→any ready-rolled puff pastry, though the flavour will be less rich
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled palmiers in an airtight tin or a zip-lock bag at room temperature for up to 4 days; add a piece of baking paper between layers so they do not stick. To revive them, spread them on a tray and warm at 160°C for 4 to 5 minutes, then cool completely so they crisp up again. They can be frozen in a rigid container for up to 2 months and refreshed straight from frozen at 160°C for 6 to 8 minutes; never store them in the fridge, where they turn soft and stale.
| Nutrient | Per serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 259.4 kcal |
| Protein | 2.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 28.1 g |
| Fat | 15.2 g |
| Saturated fat | 3.8 g |
| Fiber | 0.6 g |
| Sugar | 10.3 g |
| Sodium | 148 mg |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
FAQ
The questions we get asked most
Why did my palmiers turn out soft instead of crisp?
Soft palmiers are almost always underbaked or cooled on the tray. Bake until the sugar at the edges is amber and the centres are dry, then move them to a wire rack immediately. If they are still chewy once cool, return them to a 160°C oven for 5 minutes and cool again.
Can I make palmiers ahead of time?
Yes. The rolled log can be wrapped and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 1 month, before slicing. Baked palmiers also keep for 4 days in an airtight tin, so you can bake them a day or two before serving.
Why did the sugar burn on the bottom of my palmiers?
Sugar caramelises fast on a dark or thin tray, and the pastry releases butter that pools and burns. Use a light-coloured metal tray lined with baking paper, leave 4 cm between slices, and turn them after 10 minutes. If the edges darken too quickly, drop the oven to 180°C.
Can I use frozen puff pastry for palmiers?
Yes, but thaw it in the fridge overnight, not at room temperature, and keep it cold while you work. Pastry that has warmed up becomes sticky and the folds collapse, so the layers will not puff properly. If it feels soft at any point, chill it for 15 minutes before continuing.
How do I stop the palmiers from unrolling in the oven?
Chill the folded log for at least 30 minutes so the butter sets and holds the folds, and press each slice flat before baking. Place them cut-side up on the tray and leave space between them. If a slice still opens, press it back together with a spatula halfway through baking.
Can I make palmiers without sugar on the outside?
You can reduce the sugar, but some is needed because it caramelises and gives the crisp shell. A light dusting of 40 g for the whole batch still works. For a savoury version, swap the sugar for finely grated hard cheese and a pinch of salt, and skip the cinnamon.
How do I know when palmiers are fully baked?
Look for a deep golden brown colour on both sides and caramelised, glossy edges, which takes about 15 to 18 minutes at 200°C. The centres should feel firm and dry when pressed, not spongy. They crisp further as they cool, so judge them by colour rather than by touch alone.
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