Easy Elephant Ears Pastry
For this recipe, I made my own quick puff pastry. You can also buy it from the store, but I went for the safer and healthier version, especially since the effort is small.
In case you didn't know, palmiers or elephant ears are the same thing, they are very easy to make and loved by the children. Even our Maria, who is not a big fan of sweets (she doesn't have the standard cravings of a child :), had two in a row.
The recipe is very versatile, you can mix the sugar filling with cocoa, nuts, coconut, cinnamon, poppy seeds, raisins, cranberries and vary the flavors to your and your kids' preferences. I like them simple, with the smell of butter and caramelized sugar, it's a pity I only got to smell them!
As I said above, I prefer not to buy the puff pastry from the store but to make it myself according to the quick recipe that I posted not long ago on the site - it's here.
I usually cut the pastry into 2 and, after rolling out, each half is about the size of a store bought puff pastry sheet. Here I used only one half. You can freeze the other one or make double amount of palmiers, they are simply too good :)
I pressed the pastry with my hands in the shape of a small rectangle.
Then I rolled out into a rectangular 20x30cm sheet about 3-4mm thick.
Of course, don't forget to dust the pastry with flour while working with the rolling pin.
If you have puff pastry from the store, use it as such, there is no need for more stretching.
Brush the whole surface with a little softened butter.
Sprinkle with sugar in an even layer, about 4-5 tablespoons and, if you want to, any other flavors you like - cinnamon, cocoa, chopped walnuts, coconut, poppy seeds, raisins, cranberries etc.
I recommend starting from the shorter side of the rectangle when rolling the pastry up - the palmiers look nicer if they have more rolls inside.
So roll the sheet in up to the middle.
Roll the other side in until the two sides meet in the middle.
Place the log seam side down and cut into 1cm wide pastries.
Arrange the pastries in the oven sheet, lined with baking paper!
Open them slightly with your fingers and lightly press in order to have the correct shape.
Sprinkle a little more sugar on top, it will melt and caramelize after baking, so it's exactly what we need :)
Place the sheet in the preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 20-25 minutes, until the palm trees are nicely browned and lightly caramelized on top.
Then let cool properly in the pan.
They are wonderful, crunchy, fragrant - dad and the children savoured them with great appetite.
They are like biscuits, but easier to shape and make.
Enjoy!
