Make sure you brush the pastry very lightly with egg. Egg in the pastry folds will bind them together and prevent even rising during baking. The palmiers will keep in an airtight container for 24 hours, but are at their best the day they are made.
Ingredients
20 g (¾ oz/about 22) roasted skinned hazelnuts
2 teaspoons caster (superfine) sugar
1½ tablespoons dark chocolate chips
large pinch of ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon orange liqueur
375 g (13 oz) block readymade puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
extra caster (superfine) sugar, for sprinkling
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Line two baking trays with baking paper.
2. Put the hazelnuts, sugar, chocolate chips and cinnamon in a small processor fitted with the metal blade. Whizz for 20 seconds, or until the mixture forms a fine paste. Add the liqueur and whizz to combine.
3. Roll the pastry out to a 20 × 33 cm (8 × 13 inch) rectangle, 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. Spread the hazelnut mixture over the pastry. Tightly roll one long side of the pastry into the centre. Roll the opposite side in to meet in the middle. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
4. Brush the pastry all over with a little beaten egg and sprinkle with caster sugar. Using a sharp knife, cut the pastry into 5 mm (¼ inch) slices. Place well apart on the prepared trays and brush very lightly with beaten egg. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn, brush lightly with egg and bake for 5–8 minutes, or until the palmiers are crisp and golden. Cool on wire racks.
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