Malted Milk Palmiers made from Homemade Puff Pastry

Today I took King Arthur’s Sunday Recipe Round Up challenge and made my own HOMEMADE PUFF PASTRY that was then used to prepare Malted Milk Palmiers!

A perfect challenge and project for a cold and dreary Sunday afternoon. And, YES, is did take all afternoon by then time I rolled the dough, rerolled, chilled and repeated the process several times.

I had several questions as I went along so consulted some other websites to double check that I was correctly interpreting the recipe. I have made some additions and provided some tips in the step-by-step instructions that follow.

King Arthur describes these palmiers as “Crispy, flaky, and utterly addictive, the classic palmier takes on a whole new character with the addition of malted milk and a hint of chocolate in the filling.”

Malted Milk Palmiers

3 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour

1 teaspoon active dry or instant yeast

1/2 cup malted milk powder (Carnation® is the brand I used)

24 tablespoons (1 1/2 cups or 3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut in 1/2" pieces

1/2 cup cold water + 1 to 2 tablespoons additional water as needed

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Filling:

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 tablespoons malted milk powder 

2 teaspoons cocoa 

Extra granulated sugar, for rolling and sprinkling

1.  To make the dough: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, yeast, malted milk powder, and butter, mixing until the butter chunks are partly broken up and flattened. 

2.  In a separate container, stir together the water, vanilla, and salt.

3.  With the mixer running on low, add to the flour mixture. Mix until the dough just begins to come together but has lots of visible butter chunks intact.

4.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold it over on itself until it comes together.

5.  Form the dough into a 6" x 14" rectangle and fold it in thirds, lining up the edges tidily to stack on top of each other – a marble surface and a bench knife are helpful for this process. Then, turn the folded dough 90° and again roll into a 6" x 14" rectangle. Again, fold in thirds like a letter again, being particular about having the edges line up.

Form the dough into a 6" x 14" rectangle

Fold dough in thirds, lining up the edges.

Turn the folded dough 90° and again roll into a 6" x 14" rectangle    

Again, fold in thirds. 

6.  Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

7.  After 30 minutes, repeat the rolling and folding process twice more (in other words, repeat the directions in step #5 twice).

8.  Wrap and return to the refrigerator for 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

9.  To make the filling: Whisk all the ingredients together. 

10. To shape the palmiers: Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sprinkle your work surface with granulated sugar and roll the dough into a 15" x 10" rectangle. Note: I used a silicon mat to roll out the dough; it was easy to roll the dough on the mat and then transfer it to the refrigerator for chilling.

11. Sprinkle the dough with 4 to 5 tablespoons of the filling mixture. Place a piece of parchment over the dough and filling. Gently roll with your rolling pin, to press the filling into the dough.

12. Remove the parchment and, starting with the long edges, roll the two sides toward each other until they meet in the center, like a scroll. Repeat with the remaining dough, wrap the scrolls individually, and refrigerate for at least an hour (or freeze for 20 minutes.)

13. To bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

14.  Using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife, slice each roll into 1/3" pieces and lay the slices, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1" of space between them. Sprinkle the top of each palmier with 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar. 

15. Bake the pastries for 9 to 10 minutes, until the sugar on the bottom has begun to brown. Remove them from the oven and turn them over with a spatula. Bake for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, until the sugar is lightly browned on the second side. Watch closely: these go from golden brown to scorched very quickly. 

16. Remove the palmiers from the oven and let them cool on a rack. They'll crisp up as they cool.

17. Store palmiers, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

Recipe without photos . . .

Malted Milk Palmiers 

3 cups King Arthur Unbleached Bread Flour 

1 teaspoon active dry or instant yeast 

1/2 cup malted milk powder (Carnation® is the brand I used)

24 tablespoons (1 1/2 cups or 3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut in 1/2" pieces

1/2 cup cold water + 1 to 2 tablespoons additional water as needed

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Filling: 

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

6 tablespoons malted milk powder  

2 teaspoons cocoa 

Extra granulated sugar, for rolling and sprinkling

1.  To make the dough: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, yeast, malted milk powder, and butter, mixing until the butter chunks are partly broken up and flattened. 

2.  In a separate container, stir together the water, vanilla, and salt. 

3.  With the mixer running on low, add to the flour mixture. Mix until the dough just begins to come together but has lots of visible butter chunks intact.

4.  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and fold it over on itself until it comes together 

5.  Form the dough into a 6" x 14" rectangle and fold it in thirds, lining up the edges tidily to stack on top of each other – a marble surface and a bench knife are helpful for this process. Then, turn the folded dough 90° and again roll into a 6" x 14" rectangle. Again, fold in thirds like a letter again, being particular about having the edges line up. 

6.  Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

7.  After 30 minutes, repeat the rolling and folding process twice more (in other words, repeat the directions in step #5 twice). 

8.  Wrap and return to the refrigerator for 45 minutes to 1 hour. 

9.  To make the filling: Whisk all the ingredients together. 

10. To shape the palmiers: Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator. Sprinkle your work surface with granulated sugar and roll the dough into a 15" x 10" rectangle. Note: I used a silicon mat to roll out the dough; it was easy to roll the dough on the mat and then transfer it to the refrigerator for chilling.

11. Sprinkle the dough with 4 to 5 tablespoons of the filling mixture. Place a piece of parchment over the dough and filling. Gently roll with your rolling pin, to press the filling into the dough.

12. Remove the parchment and, starting with the long edges, roll the two sides toward each other until they meet in the center, like a scroll. Repeat with the remaining dough, wrap the scrolls individually, and refrigerate for at least an hour (or freeze for 20 minutes.)

13. To bake: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.

14.  Using unflavored dental floss or a sharp knife, slice each roll into 1/3" pieces and lay the slices, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 1" of space between them. Sprinkle the top of each palmier with 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar. 

15. Bake the pastries for 9 to 10 minutes, until the sugar on the bottom has begun to brown. Remove them from the oven and turn them over with a spatula. Bake for an additional 5 to 6 minutes, until the sugar is lightly browned on the second side. Watch closely: these go from golden brown to scorched very quickly. 

16. Remove the palmiers from the oven and let them cool on a rack. They'll crisp up as they cool.

17. Store palmiers, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.