Palmiers — puff-pastry elephant ears
Palmiers — also called papillons or, in English, "elephant ears" — are heart-shaped French pastries made by rolling puff pastry in sugar from both sides into a tight scroll, then slicing and baking. The sugar caramelises into a brittle glaze; the pastry crackles into many flaky layers.
i. Origin & history
Palmiers are everyday French boulangerie food, sold individually wrapped or stacked by the dozen. The name comes from the palm-leaf shape of the finished pastry. They are simple, requiring only puff pastry and sugar.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry (about 30 × 25 cm)
- 150 g granulated sugar
- Pinch salt
- Optional: pinch cinnamon
iii. Method
- Sprinkle the work surface generously with sugar. Lay puff pastry on top; sprinkle with more sugar; press in lightly.
- Fold the two long edges to meet in the middle; sprinkle more sugar; press. Fold again to meet in the middle; press. Press the two halves together along the centre.
- Wrap and chill 30 min. Cut into 1 cm slices. Place flat on a lined tray with space to spread.
- Bake at 200 °C for 8 min; flip; bake another 6-8 min until both sides are deeply caramelised.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Cinnamon palmiers add cinnamon to the sugar. Chocolate-dipped palmiers are dipped in melted chocolate. Savoury palmiers use cheese and herbs instead of sugar.
vi. Common questions
What is palmiers?
Palmiers is puff-pastry elephant ears, from french cuisine. The sugar caramelises into a brittle glaze; the pastry crackles into many flaky layers
Where is palmiers from?
Palmiers is from the french dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does palmiers keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 5 days airtight.