Beach palmiers, or Palmeras Playeras, are a simplified version of the classic French pastry palmiers. They are popular on Chilean beaches.
The Beach palmier or Palmera is a crispy, caramelized puff pastry-shaped circle, often dusted with sugar.
They are traditionally sold on the beaches during the summer, along with Pan de Huevo and Cuchuflís (delicate wafer tubes filled with dulce de leche). These sweets enjoyed under the sun with a sea breeze are essential to the Chilean beach experience.
I use a simplified puff pastry in this beach palmier recipe, which is more like a shortcrust. It's essential to make the dough the day before so it's very cold.
I recommend making the Palmeras on a colder day, early in the morning, or at night. If the butter melts into the dough, you won't get the traditional layers and the flaky dough.
The easiest way to make this dough is with a food processor. If not, use a hand mixer. It's best not to knead by hand because body temperature melts the butter.
I tried rolling them with sugar; you can, but it's more difficult, so start with flour.
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Beach Palmiers
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8
- Category: Sweets
- Method: Oven baked
- Cuisine: Chilean
Description
It's a classic Chilean beach treat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
- 90 grams unsalted butter, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup (60 ml) cold whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar for coating the Palmeras
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients (except the sugar) in a food processor and pulse until you have a dough.
- To make with a hand blender or by hand: Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the egg yolk and mix with a fork. Add the butter and work with two knives or a fork until you get lumps or sand. Add the cold milk and form a dough; you will still see pieces of butter. You don't want a smooth dough. If necessary, add 1-2 tablespoons of very cold water to form the dough.
- Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 200C or 400F.
- Cut the disk into 8 equal pieces. Shape each into a ball.
- Flour the counter and roll out until you have a circle about 15 cm in diameter or until the dough is almost translucent. Use a plate to cut a perfect circle, or leave it rustic.
- Sprinkle the counter with 1 teaspoon of sugar, place the dough circle on top, and sprinkle with another teaspoon of sugar. Roll out the circle a little further.
- Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Arrange the circles as needed; they won't expand in the oven.
- Bake for 5 minutes. Remove and carefully turn each of the palmiers over.
- Bake for 5 more minutes or until golden brown and the sugar has caramelized.
- Let cool on a rack. Serve cold.
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