Palmiers

Ingredients

• 1 pound puff pastry dough, chilled but not frozen
• 1 cup sugar, divided
• Flour for rolling

Directions

1. Dust a large work surface lightly with flour, then roll the puff pastry into a rectangle about 17 by 13 inches and 1/8th of an inch thick. Move the dough onto a baking sheet.
2. Wipe the flour off the work surface, then scatter 1/3 cup of the sugar over a space roughly the same size as the pastry. Set the pastry on top of the sugar, then shower another 1/3 cup of sugar over it.
3. With a rolling pin, lightly press the sugar into the dough. Cut the pastry down to a 16 by 12 inch rectangle, positioning it so the long side is across the top.
4. Bring the top edge down 2 inches. Bring the bottom edge up 2 inches. Continue folding from alternating sides until the two edges sit 1/4 inch apart.
5. Fold the dough together at that narrow opening so you have one long strip. Press the strip gently to snug the layers together.
6. Roll the strip carefully until it stretches to 24 inches long. Slice it in half to make two 12 inch strips.
7. Wrap each strip in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 week and up to 1 month. The night before baking, move the dough from the freezer to the refrigerator so it can thaw overnight.
8. When it is time to bake, heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
9. Pour the remaining 1/3 cup sugar into a shallow bowl. Unwrap the dough, then cut each strip crosswise with a sharp knife into 1/2 inch wide pieces. Dip each piece into the sugar so it is coated.
10. Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets with the cut sides facing up. Bake until they are golden, about 30 minutes.