PALMIERS
About forty-eight 3-inch cookies
Store-bought puff pastry may also be used to make these shatteringly crisp cookies. Spices or flavorings, such as cinnamon, vanilla bean seeds, or citrus zest, may be mixed into the sugar for added flavor.
Have ready:
- 1 cup (200g) sugar
Lightly sugar a work surface and roll out into a 12 × 5 ½-inch rectangle:
- 8 ounces puff pastry, store-bought or homemade
Sprinkle about ¼ cup of the sugar over the dough and roll over it lightly with the rolling pin to imbed the sugar in the dough. With a short side facing you, fold the bottom third up over the center and the top third down over the center, like a business letter. Turn the dough so the folded edge is on the left and roll out into a 13 × 7-inch rectangle, with a short side facing you. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons sugar over the dough and roll over it lightly with the rolling pin. Fold each long side of the dough over toward the center, leaving a ¼-inch space in the middle (as shown, above). Lightly brush the top of one folded side with:
- 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Sprinkle the other folded side with 1 tablespoon sugar. Fold the dough lengthwise in half, so that the sugared surface meets the egg white, and press together. Place the pastry on an ungreased baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or wrap airtight and freeze until ready to use.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners or generously grease them.
If the dough is frozen, let it thaw for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Spread some of the remaining sugar in a shallow bowl. Transfer the dough to a cutting board and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices. Press one cut side of each slice into the sugar and place the cookies sugar side down and at least 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. If necessary, push each slice back into shape. Sprinkle more sugar over the tops.
Bake one sheet at a time, until the cookies begin to brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Turn each cookie over with a spatula and bake until golden brown and caramelized all over, 2 to 5 minutes longer. Watch carefully, for the cookies can burn quickly. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.