Description
Ina Garten’s elephant ears bring classic French pastry charm to home kitchens with simple, buttery elegance. Crisp, golden puff pastry spirals deliver sweet caramelized crunch that delights dessert lovers seeking delightful homemade treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
Sweeteners:
- 1 cup sugar, divided
Spices and Seasonings:
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Celsius), preparing a clean, flat surface like a marble countertop or wooden cutting board.
- Sprinkle of granulated sugar and kosher salt evenly across the surface, then carefully lay the puff pastry sheet directly onto the sugar mixture.
- Create a cinnamon-sugar blend by thoroughly mixing of sugar with ground cinnamon, then distribute the mixture uniformly across the entire surface of the pastry.
- Carefully fold the pastry edges toward the center, creating symmetrical halves. Repeat the folding process so the edges meet precisely in the middle, then close the pastry like a book, resulting in a compact six-layered rectangle.
- Gently use a rolling pin to flatten the folded pastry into a 13-inch (33 centimeters) square, ensuring the sugar is pressed firmly into both sides of the dough.
- Slice the pastry into uniform pieces approximately 3/8-inch (1 centimeter) thick, positioning them sugar-side up on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 6 minutes until the bottom caramelizes to a rich golden brown, then carefully flip the pastries using a spoon and continue baking for an additional 3 to 5 minutes until both sides achieve a perfect caramelized finish.
- Transfer the palmiers to a cooling rack, allowing them to crisp and set at room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Quick thawing prevents puff pastry from cracking when unfolding, giving you smooth, manageable dough for perfect twists.
- Gentle sprinkling of cinnamon-sugar creates a balanced, delicate sweetness that enhances the buttery pastry layers.
- Substituting ingredients might compromise the recipe’s signature flaky texture, so stick to classic puff pastry for best results.
- Watching the golden-brown edges during baking ensures a crisp, perfectly caramelized exterior without burning.
- Preheating transforms your oven into a pastry-rising powerhouse, guaranteeing those irresistible, puffy layers every time.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 50 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg