Cinnamon Puff Pastry Palmiers

📝 Ingredients

• 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry (about 230 g)
• 10 g unsalted butter
• 40 g light brown sugar
• 15 g caster sugar (for the work surface)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 unwaxed orange (zest only)
• 1 pinch of salt

🍴 Utensils

• Baking tray + baking paper
• Bowl
• Pastry brush
• Fine grater
• Very sharp knife
• Spatula

📖 Steps

1. Take the puff pastry out of the fridge 10 minutes before unrolling it so it doesn't crack. Meanwhile, melt the butter in the microwave for 20 seconds and line the baking tray with baking paper.
2. In a bowl, mix the light brown sugar, cinnamon, pinch of salt and finely grated orange zest, avoiding the bitter white pith. Crush any lumps of sugar with your fingertips.
3. Sprinkle the work surface with caster sugar and lay the unrolled pastry on it, without its paper. No need to trim it if it's round: the palmiers at the ends will just be smaller. Brush the whole surface with melted butter.
4. Spread the cinnamon mixture over the whole sheet right to the edges, then press down with the palms of your hands so the sugar sticks well: it shouldn't fall off when you fold the pastry.
5. Fold two opposite edges towards the centre so they meet in the middle, then fold each side towards the middle a second time: you'll have two thick strips side by side. Finally, fold one onto the other, like closing a book, pressing lightly.
6. Put the roll in the freezer for 15 minutes: when well chilled, it slices cleanly without squashing. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 °C. Then cut the roll with a very sharp knife into 1 cm thick slices, which makes about 24 palmiers.
7. Lay the slices flat on the tray 3 cm apart, as they spread during baking, and bake in two batches if they don't all fit. Bake for 10 minutes at 200 °C, until the underside is golden and caramelised.
8. Turn the palmiers over with a spatula and bake for another 4 to 6 minutes, until golden on both sides. Keep an eye on them at the end: the sugar goes from caramel to burnt very quickly. Leave to cool flat; they crisp up as they cool.