We have been making A LOT of desserts lately! Cookies, cakes, marshmallows, you name it we are making it. Tis the season, I guess! This weekend I am having my annual cookie baking party with my friends. For about 20 years now (OMG I am old!) I have been getting together with my friends at my parents house and making cookies. There are usually about 6 or 7 of and we each bring 1-2 different cookie batters. We bake the cookies at my parent’s house and then divide all the cookies up. Then we exchange our secret Santa gifts and go out to dinner. It is something I look forward to all year. It is a great tradition that I hope we will continue for 20 more years. At least!
In preparation for Christmas this year I have been testing out a few cookie recipes. Kelly has been wanting to make some kind of palmier for ages now and I love gingerbread so we tried these gingerbread palmiers from Martha Stewart. Let me just start by saying, I am no fan of Martha Stewart. I think she makes things overly complicated. I had to read and re-read the directions for these cookies and I still did it wrong. (For the record, mine turned out just fine.) Plus, everything she makes looks so perfect I feel like she is just setting me up to fail! But these cookies sounded so good to me I decided to give them a try anyway. I am glad we made them. Like I said I feel the recipe she had was overly complicated so I did my best to simplify it. I loved these cookies but they are definitely not for everyone! You have to like the molasses flavor to enjoy these cookies. If you are a perfectionist you might want to stay away. I don’t really care how my cookies look as long as they taste good!!
Here is what you'll need
Add the molasses, brown sugar, and ginger to a saucepan and bring to a boil
Continue to simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.
In another bowl mix the sugar, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper
Sprinkle the sugar mixture onto the counter top
Place the puff pastry sheets on the sugar mixture and roll it thin. Add the rest of the sugar mixture and roll it again.
Brush with the sugar/molasses mixture. Reserving about 2 tablespoons.
Roll each side of the puff pastry towards the center. Repeat with the other sheet.
Brush the remaining molasses on the center and make sure they are sealed. Wrap with plastic wrap and freeze.
Slice into about 1/4 inch pieces and place on a parchment lined baking sheet
Bake about 12 minutes. Don't these look lovely?
Looking much better now, and tasty too!
Ingredients
¼ cup packed light-brown sugar
¼ cup dark unsulfured molasses
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
17 ounces Puff Pastry
Directions
Add brown sugar, molasses, ginger, and ¼ cup water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. Continue simmering until the mixture has thickened. It should take about 2 minutes. Transfer the syrup to a bowl and let cool. In another bowl combine the granulated sugar, salt, and spices. Sprinkle about half of the sugar mixture onto a clean surface. Put both pieces of the puff pastry directly over the sugar. (There were 2 pieces of puff pastry in my box) Roll out the puff pastry thinly. Sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture on top of the puff pastry. Press the sugar mixture into the puff pastry with a rolling pin. Brush the puff pastry with the syrup you made earlier. Save a little of the syrup for later. Roll each side of the puff pastry towards the center. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry. Brush with remaining syrup to seal. Wrap each roll in plastic and place in the freezer for about 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice each roll into pieces about ¼ inch thick. Lay flat on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Watch them closely so that they do not burn.
Source: Adapted from Martha Stewart
