Author Notes
I adore maple sugar. It is milder in flavor than it's liquid counterpart, not nearly as messy, and it's crunchy crystals are habit-forming. I welcome it's earthy, musky flavor on my morning oats, in winter tarts, and tossed with parsnips and carrots before they caramelize in the oven. Here, I've used it instead of granulated sugar in a classic palmier preparation.
I'm not sure if I can really call this a recipe, since I usually use store-bought puff pastry; after that, it's just a roll, a sprinkle, and a cut. But I will say this: it is a "recipe" that truly lets maple shine. And I can't help but share it here.
—Michelle McKenzie
Ingredients
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12 ounces
all-butter puff pastry
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1 cup
maple sugar
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1 handful
flour (for rolling)
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
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Roll out 1 sheet all-butter puff pastry dough on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin into a large (20×15) rectangle, 1/8” thick. Brush off excess flour and trim edges.
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Sprinkle top of dough evenly with maple sugar – every centimeter should be covered with sugar. Roll two sides of pastry so they meet in center.
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With a very sharp knife, cut the rolled log of dough crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange slices 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. Top slices with maple sugar. Refrigerate (or freeze), uncovered for 1 hour.
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Remove sheets from the refrigerator. Bake palmiers until puffed and caramelized, about 15-17 minutes (I prefer mine on the darker side). Transfer palmiers to a rack and cool.
Michelle McKenzie is the author of Dandelion & Quince: Exploring the Wide World of Unusual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs. Her second cookbook, The Modern Larder, is due to arrive in fall 2018 and will introduce home-cooks to a raft of new, flavor-packed pantry staples - e.g. shiso, ndjua, Job's Tears, and dozens of others - and incorporate them into over 200 wholesome recipes.
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