Chocolate Palmiers

I just returned from a pretty bangin' trip to New Orleans.  I want to go back straight straight straight away.  I recently developed an affinity for jazz music and a slight obsession with the Big Easy.  I blame the Preservation Jazz Hall Band.  You see, I went to see them at City Winery in NYC back in February.  Halfway through the concert, I came to the conclusion that these talented men seemed to live pretty happy and rich lives down in New Orleans.  So clearly I had to go check it out!

Now I don't usually do this.  You can be certain that I am not much of a traveler, but I figured I should probably work on changing that up.  I like to travel, but there always seems to be a reason not to go just-this-second.  I switched up the game this year.  In 2013, we will travel more!

So anyhow, I went to NOLA and ate my face off, while listening to a ton of jazz music and making new friends along the way.  I did it up right.  However, I have now developed an addiction to pralines.  This cannot lead anywhere good.  I know it. I just recently weaned myself* off these chocolate palmiers and I already have another replacement!

*Disclaimer: I have not actually weaned myself off these palmiers, but I did run out of them.  I have been holding myself back from making another batch so that I don't scarf them down all at once.

Chocolate Palmiers

very slightly adapted from Cozy, Delicious

makes ~20 cookies

Print Recipe

• 1 cup sugar
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
• 3 ounces semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

1) Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2) Combine the sugar and kosher salt. Spread half of the sugar mixture on a flat surface.

 

3) Unfold the sheet of puff pastry onto the sugar and pour the rest of the sugar mixture on top, spreading it evenly on the puff pastry.

4) Roll the dough until it’s about 13x13 inches. Sprinkle the top evenly with the chocolate and press the chocolate lightly into the dough.

I'm really bad at rolling dough. It is what it is.

5) Roll opposite sides of the square towards the center so they go halfway to the middle. Carefully slice the dough into 1/2-inch slices and place the slices on two parchment-lined baking sheets.

I'm also really bad at shaping palmiers.

6) Bake the cookies for 6 minutes until caramelized on the bottom, then turn over and bake another 5 minutes, until caramelized on the other side. Transfer to a baking rack to cool.

 

I sort of accidentally burnt (or over-caramelized, as I like to think of it) some of these palmiers.  But I sometimes like burnt things, so I wasn't phased.  If you don't care for the taste, then make sure to watch these closely, as they go from perfectly browned to burnt in two shakes of a leg.  Yes, I just used that expression.

I like to think of these things as cookies.  They sort of are, I guess.  They're crispy and slightly chewy.  They're also covered in sugar and chocolate-y goodness, as everything should be!  These palmiers are super simple to make, which now presents a problem for me.  I refuse to defrost the second batch of puffed pastry in my freezer since I'm fairly certain it will turn into this and, well, you know the rest of that story already.