Savory palmiers

These savory palmiers need only 3 ingredients (puff pastry, cheese and fig preserves) but they are transformed into a delicious sweet-savory, crispy snack. Perfect for a party or any excuse you want to find!

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I live in a house of cheese lovers, in pretty much any form. My kids have surprisingly sophisticated tastes which I guess I'm proud of (even if it can be expensive).

They like pieces of cheese as part of their lunch often, but also cheesy snacks. Things like adjaruli khachapuri (Georgian cheese bread) and tiropita (Greek cheese pastries) were incredibly popular! And so were these cheesy palmiers.

What are palmiers?

Palmiers, also known as elephant ears, are a simple French pastry. They get the 'elephant ear' name as they are formed with two spirals of puff pastry joined together (and it looks a little like a big ear). In the classic sweet version, you sprinkle sugar over the pastry as you roll. 

I've made a variation on sweet palmiers before, date walnut palmiers, which we really enjoyed, but I've meant to make a savory version for a while. In fact I tried a while ago, but my filling was too moist and the pastry didn't cook fully. 

These fig and cheese savory palmiers, however, turned out perfectly.

Actually that's not totally true as a few unravelled a bit as I cooked them as I didn't stick the two spirals together quite well enough.

But with a little nudging, they stayed together as they cooled and the lovely cheese layer formed on the bottom. And no one was complaining as they dove in. 

How to make cheese and fig savory palmiers

• Flatten out a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface.
• Spread a thin layer of fig preserves over the top of the pastry.
• Sprinkle over a layer of grated cheese.
• Roll two opposite edges into the middle and use a little water to gently help the two 'rolls' stick.
• Using a serrated knife, cut the rolled up pastry into slices then carefully transfer to a lined baking sheet.
• Bake  until crisp and golden.

Learn from my mistakes!

The bit I forgot to do is make a slightly better seal on the two spirals. Since the outside of the pastry was on a floured surface (so it doesn't stick to that too much), it may not stick to itself as well. They may seem like they are holding together, but remember the pastry will expand as it cooks.

I'd suggest you brush the part that joins with a little water to help it stick better. And if they separate while baking, as mine did, then you can nudge them back together. 

When you transfer the slices to the baking sheet, you may think they are looking a little empty on filling. You might be tempted to add more cheese or twist them tighter. Don't. Having done that with a few myself, it really doesn't help, and also remember, as I said above, they will expand when they cook anyway.

In case you are wondering which way to roll them up, it doesn't really matter. If you roll the longer edges, you'll get more, thinner palmiers. If you roll the short edges, you get less that are wider.

Personally, I made more, thinner coils, which meant I had more to go around. Which was definitely a good thing.

These are the kind of snack that are really easy to make, and also easy to adapt. You can use different cheeses and different jams or preserves. Although I have to say, the combination of fig preserves and a sharp cheddar was pretty much perfect to me. 

Lightly sweet, crisp, and cheesy, these savory palmiers are a delicious any time snack. These were well shared with friends and got rave reviews from all. And disappeared in no time as a result. It's just as well they are so easy to make. Give them a try and enjoy yourself!

Try these other bites with a crunch:

• Pesto goat cheese filo parcels
• Tiropita (Greek cheese pastries)
• Yuca fries
• Chorizo cheese twists
• Plus get more appetizer recipes in the archives.

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. 

Take a look at what the #BrunchWeek Bloggers are creating today!

Beverages:
Blackberry Peach Crush from Jolene's Recipe Journal
Guava Lemonade from Shockingly Delicious
Mango Lemonade Vodka Cooler from The Redhead Baker

Savory dishes:
Bacon Ranch Tortilla Rollups from The Mandatory Mooch
Bacon Cheddar Cheese Souffle from Cookaholic Wife
Vegan Biscuits & Gravy from The Baking Fairy

Desserts:
Easy Champagne Cupcakes from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
Lavender Panna Cotta with Lemon Curd from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Pineapple Paradise Layer Cake from Love and Confections
Ricotta Cookies from April Golightly
Rosemary Lavender Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures
Streusel Kuchen (German Coffee Cake) from Platter Talk
Sugar Cookie Bars with Peach Frosting from Sweet Beginnings
White Chocolate Snack Clusters from Family Around the Table

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Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Cabot Cheese, Joyjolt, Sweets & Treats, Torani, Sarcastic Cooking, Dessert for Two, Sweet Phi, and The Little Ferraro Kitchen for providing prizes free of charge (giveaway now closed). These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek recipes. All opinions are my own.