The Fresh Loaf

A Community of Amateur Bakers and Artisan Bread Enthusiasts.

Holiday Treats from the Back Home Bakery!!!

ehanner's picture
ehanner

Holiday Treats from the Back Home Bakery!!!

There are some things that take a special touch and experience to master.

Palmiers are a good example of something that looks so simple I could do it, yet so complex and delicate that I'll be lucky, without a sheeter, if I ever got a good batch. And, they are to die for with coffee. I know the process for making these delicious gems but this time I decided to purchase some from our friend Mark at The Back Home Bakery. As you can see they are the most fragile looking puff pastry treats with a buttery sweet crunch. Baking these perfectly seemed like a task I could wait until after the holidays to learn. Eating them and sharing with my family couldn't.

So today my box of Palmiers arrived from Montana and I'm thrilled to have them. It only took 2 days for the USPS to find our home in Wisconsin and they are perfect! Thank you Mark for all you do here and for shipping these goodies in time for Christmas dinner or New Year (haven't decided yet).

Is this the first time someone has posted another bakers work? Hope so!

Eric

 

Russ's picture
Russ

Those look great! Enjoy!

 

Russ

Janedo's picture
Janedo

Those look REALLY good! I'm too far away to have a package sent... sniff.

gaaarp's picture
gaaarp

I recently got some palmiers from Mark (they made it from Montana to Ohio in good time and great condition), and I can attest that they are every bit as wonderful as they look. As far as serving them for Christmas, well, let's just say they didn't make it past the day of their arrival.

mcs's picture
mcs

Yes, palmiers are one of my favorites, and probably the most popular pastry for people to ask for by name.  When people find out I bake or have tried something I've made, quite a few have asked, "Do you make palmier?"  (And by the way, is the plural, palmier or palmiers?  Excuse my lack of French) 
For shipping, I now make 'half-palmiers' like you see above, but single curls instead of doubles, so they're half-size.  It seems they tended to snap right there in the middle anyway, so now I bake them smaller; you get more crunch and you can eat twice as many with half the guilt.  Well actually if you ate twice as many, I guess you'd have the same guilt. But anyway...
For the low, low, price...So as for my shameless promotion, I can fit 72 of the mini palmier into a bakery box, which fits into a USPS flat rate box.  Let's see, at $.50 each, plus under $10 shipping, (or around $30 shipping to you, Jane)....
And if you act now...
Just kidding, that's the end of the commercial.

-Mark

Russ's picture
Russ

From my old, rusty and limited knowledge of French, I would guess that the plural is palmiers, but the final 's' is probably not pronounced unless the word following it begins with a vowel.

I'm sure someone will be along to corrrect me and let us both know the right way...

 

Russ

Wisecarver's picture
Wisecarver (not verified)

...From one Mark to another;

I think you have every right to promote your goodness. ;-)

 Salute,
   Mark Wisecarver

ehanner's picture
ehanner

Thanks Mark,

You can't imagine how it's killing me to sit here looking at the beautiful box of Pastry (Palmiers), sipping on my morning coffee and NOT eating one. This is a test believe me. I have to get these out of sight, I feel myself weakening!

The fun part of mail order food items is being able to try things from other cultures or in this case regions. You wouldn't order a doughnut or eclair, they wouldn't travel well. But you are correct they arrived in perfect condition. I really enjoy the treat of sampling exotic items others have perfected.

I might try a batch of some cheese danish. I'll bet they would be OK. Hmmm

Eric

qahtan's picture
qahtan

 The last time I had palmiers was when husband and i went to UK, and  we went with a couple of friends through the Chunnel to Brugge, Belgium, where we bought

palmiers and ate them while exploring Brugge. they were delicious.

 Strangely though I have not made them,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, qahtan

mcs's picture
mcs

...that I have seen of yours, I'm very surprised you haven't made them.  Although everyone has different tastes as far as breads and desserts go, strangely enough, I think we all have the same 'vision' of what palmiers should taste like.  Once you've had some, you remember that taste and consistency, and look for that.  They'll say, "These taste JUST like the ones I had in France (or Montreal, or New York...)".  Not better, not almost as good, just like them. 
Funny, huh?

Oldcampcook's picture
Oldcampcook

Mark included some "teasers" in the package when I purchased some of his excess brotforms.

Having spent 6 years in France and 8 years in Germany, I can assure you, first hand, that these ARE exactly the taste and texture of what I had over there.

I have tried to make them several times, but I just cannot get the light, crisp texture as he does.  BRAVO, MARK, KUDOS and anything other words of praise that I can think of.

 

Bob