Joy the Baker

Let’s play a game called What’s on Your Nightstand?.  What?  Too personal?  Oooh come on!  We’re all friends here.  Let’s try to figure out what our night stands say about the state of our lives.

On my night stand is:

1 Ikea lamp.

A water color painting made by my aunt in the 80’s.

A cup of what once was hot lemon water with honey, now just a mass of lemon seeds at the bottom of a mug.

A glass bowl with a ring and a business card for a French bed and breakfast.

Two books:  Unaccustomed Earth and Seize the Day.

My credit card, and a small bowl with cookie crumbs in it… Lemon Rosemary Palmier cookie crumbs.

What might my night stand contents say about me?  I love a home furnishing bargain.  When I run out of tea I make do with lemons.  I can’t sleep in jewelry and I like to daydream about vacationing in the French countryside. I either read a book or go internet shopping before I fall asleep, and I eat cookies in bed.  All things considered, it seems like a pretty cushy and self indulgent life…. plus, cookies!

I’ve taught you how to make Palmiers.  Have you made them yet?  It’s amazing how easy they are.  The only trick is to get the right store-bought puff pastry.  Make sure to buy an all butter puff pastry like Dufour.  Puff pastries that aren’t made with all butter are liable to have all sorts of mystery fat in them.  Ick.

These Palmiers are flavored with lemon zest and fresh rosemary.  They’re delicate and sophisticated but delicious enough to munch on in bed on a Saturday night.

Lemon Rosemary Palmiers

Print this Recipe!

1 package puff pastry

1 scant cup of sugar

zest of 1 large lemon or 2 small lemons

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Finely chop fresh rosemary and set aside.  Measure out one cup of granulated sugar (it doesn’t have to be exact).  On a clean, flat surface rub lemon zest into the sugar using a bench knife or the back of a spoon.  The sugar will become fragrant as the zest is rubbed into it.  Sprinkle about half of the lemon sugar onto a clean work surface.  Unfold the thawed puff pastry onto the sugared surface and sprinkle the top of the pastry with the remaining lemon sugar.

The Dufour Puff Pastry unfolds out of the package just about the length and width you’re looking for.  You’ll just need to roll it to thin it a bit, extending it about 1/2 to 1-inch on all sides.

What’s that?  You have a little rip on the seam of your puff pastry!? Me too.  Maybe just try to patch that up a bit.  But really?  It’s not that big a deal.  Don’t sweat it!

Sprinkle the surface with fresh rosemary.

Your puff pastry should be roughly 8(to10)x12-inches in size.  Now start rolling.  Roll up the left vertical side towards the center seam.  Roll the right vertical side towards the center too.

Gently press together.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, or until cold and firm.

Remove dough from the fridge and slice in 1/2-inch slices.  Place on lined baking sheet.  Bake in 400 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes of until golden brown.  You may want to rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking.  Keep a close eye on the cookies after about 11 minutes.  They might burn quickly.

If using just a greased and floured baking pan instead of a parchment or silicone lined pan, remove the cookies from the pan immediately after they come out of the oven.  If you’ve lined you baking sheet, you’re fine to let the cookies cool on the sheet.