Once the palmiers are in the oven, watch them closely, as they may go from a perfect dark golden brown to burned in seconds.

　　

Ingredients

Makes about 30

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　14 ounces Puff Pastry dough (page 653)

　　

Step 1

Sprinkle half the sugar on a clean work surface. Place the dough on top, and sprinkle evenly with the remaining sugar.

　　

Step 2

Using a rolling pin, gently roll out the dough into a 9 1/2 × 15-inch rectangle 1/8 inch thick, being careful not to press too hard around the edges. Continually coat both sides with sugar.

　　

Step 3

Place the dough so one of the long sides is closest to you. Using your fingers, roll the dough lengthwise into a long cylinder, as tightly as possible without stretching it, as you would a roll of wrapping paper, stopping when you reach the middle. Repeat the same rolling procedure with the other long side until you have 2 tight cylinders that meet in the middle. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; place in the refrigerator to chill at least 1 hour.

　　

Step 4

Unwrap the dough; using a sharp knife, cut the dough crosswise into 3/8-inch-thick slices. Place the palmiers on an ungreased baking sheet, and firmly flatten with the palm of your hand. Cover with plastic wrap; place in the refrigerator 1 hour.

　　

Step 5

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the palmiers in the oven, and bake 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F; continue baking until the pastry is golden brown and well caramelized, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven; using a thin spatula, immediately transfer the palmiers to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve shiny side up.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, copyright © 2007. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of The Crown Publishing Group.Buy the full book from Amazon.