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When I went to art school in Paris I had this friend Shelly that I will always remember for her love of Palmiers, cigarettes, and coffee. It seemed thats how she survived between our studio classes.Palmiers are puff pastry folded into a fan shape, rolled into sugar and baked into caramelized crispy like thin cookies. 
You could make some from commercial puff pastry, but I wanted the challenge of making a Pate Feuilletee from scratch, which I haven't done for years.
While surfing through the online Desserts Magazine , I came across a blogger , who I should have been following, but I am always slow on the uptake. Aran, from Cannelle Et Vanille. She adapted Pierre Hermes Chocolate Pate Feuuilletee and her recipes for a Caramelized Chocolate Mille-Feuille with Chocolate Mousse and Fresh Raspberries Napoleon and Chocolate Palmiers.
Aran warns this recipe can take upwards of 2 days.For me It took 3. I didn't do the first two steps on the same night, and had to fudge a little. I should have mixed my butter/cocoa mix the same night as I made the dough, and let both rest overnight, but I read the directions wrong. So the next evening after work I speed the process of chilling the butter in the freezer for a few hours so I could incorporate it into the folds and turns of dough.This dough required 5 turns, and you start to see the cocoa and butter turn the white dough into a marbled chocolate slab. I used half a block of dough for 20 Palmiers, and stored the rest in the freezer.
The Palmiers cooled up buttery and crisp. The perfect shapes didn't hold perfectly and my sugar really caramelized with the butter, thereby not looking all freshly rolled in sugar as Arans were. But nevertheless they tasted superb. Rich, crispy, flaky, full of butter and chocolate, but not to sweet.So the labor, and sore arms and hands from all that rolling and turning are worth it for this special treat. I would love to have a block of this puff pastry on hand in the freezer all time.If life were so perfect...sigh.
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28 comments:
Wow, they look great! Very well done!
Cheers and have a wonderful weekend,
Rosa
Thta is dedication to chocolate Glamah!!
3 days!!!! You are such a patient woman :D However I'm sure the wonderful result was more than worthy! If you need some help eating those... count on me ;D
I'll have to go with the commercial puff pastry, but boy oh boy that looks delish!
they turned out great!!! great job!!!
I love how the chocolate lets you see all the layers. Great work, glamah!!! (as if you do anything but . . .) I guess this is the upside to such freakishly cold weather--just open the windows and enjoy how your croissants, palmiers et al just work like a charm.
Oh boy those Palmiers are fantastic!! Well done Coco.
Rosie x
Smashing palmiers Ms. C wish I had some right now!
co
Look at those beautiful layers! Wow, you did an excellent job Courtney! It looks richfully delicious!!
I knew when I saw that you'd twittered this that I'd be in trouble if I came to see. And I was right.
I LOVE palmiers, and never thought about chocolate ones. Until now. Damn you!
You're a goddess, that's the truth! Wonderful post Coco!
Haven't been brave enough to make my own puff so I find your post really inspiring. :)
Wow, you made your own puff pastry! Love the way it looks raw too!
Those look so light and flaky and good!
You are just oozing with talent, glamah! They look delicately remarkable!
I'm impressed you made your own puff pastry - that's something I've not had the nerve to try yet!
Love the idea of chocolate palmiers too; I've only ever had the cheese version.
Amazing Courtney. I truly appreciate your dedication. I bet they tasted fabulous, oh, with a cup of coffee I would be in heaven. Say, thanks for taking the time to comment on my recent posts. Means a lot to me.
LL
girl these are just so beautiful! i don't have the time to make them... 2-3 day is just too much! LOL. part of that time management issue.
Oh my goodness, Courtney, these are SO impressive. I'll bet they taste as good as the look. You are the QUEEN of pastry!
Look at those layers!! Very impressive.I can never do this.
A wonderful paring with some strong coffee. In hindsight, I can now see the influence in your food that France had.
Pretty.
You went to art school in Paris? Now I understand why your cakes and other recipes are so beautiful.
From scratch? Oh, wow!
Paz
OMG(Goodness) Coco!! Just stunning. Hope CS appreciates you.
Wow, I'm impressed! Can I come and live next door? Please.
They must taste like a million $$$$! Of course the blood, sweat and tears you put into them makes it even more worth it.
They look beautiful and oh my goodness, that's dedication indeed. I don't think I could ever take 3 days to cook something.
Oh wow - these look *amaziing*!! Pure idulgence :)
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