sugared elephant ears or palmiers

another one of Ina garten's basic recipes is for sugared elephant ears or palmiers.  from her barefoot contessa in Paris cookbook, she shares her recipe which uses frozen puff pastry which has been thawed to room temperature.

ingredients
2 frozen squares of puff pastry allowed to come to room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

in a bowl, mix the sugar and salt.  place one cup of the mixture on a sheet of waxed paper.

after 40 minutes of allowing the dough to come to room temperature, open the dough and place one of the squares on the waxed paper and sugar mixture. add 1/2 cup of the sugar to the top of the dough and roll into the dough.  cover the dough with the sugar mixture.  this is not about sprinkling with sugar, but covering the dough with sugar completely.

fold the dough to the center and then to the center again.  then, fold in half, like a book.  slice into pieces and place on parchment lined baking sheets.  repeat with the second square of dough.

baked in a preheated 450 degree oven for 9 minutes, watching carefully so the sugar will not burn.  then, remove the sheets from the oven and turn each palmier over.  return to the oven and bake again for 3-5 more minutes.  again, watch each of the trays as the sugar can burn very quickly.

these cookies are delicious served with ice cream, pudding or even just with coffee or tea.