It turns out I did do some baking during the merriest time of the year.  Some fancy-pants palmiers.
Pastries have never beckoned me to eat or to bake.  But after Mr. Gordon Ramsay made some on the latest season of The F-Word that aired in Canada, they looked too easy and tasty to pass up.

Gordon Ramsay. *Shaking my head.* Every show he’s done at home is entertaining and informative.  I’ve greatly enjoyed the seasons of The F-Word I’ve watched, as well as Kitchen Nightmares.  Once he crossed the pond, however, and fell under the spell of American producers (and I suspect, dollars), he became a raging, sensational buffoon.  In Britain, his programs showcase food.  In the U.S., his programs showcase… the lowest common denominator that pervades all American reality T.V.?

Taking inspiration from British Gordon, I felt safe in my choice.  Frozen puff pastry as the main ingredient also told me that they would be as easy as they looked.  I first saw the marvels of puff pastry a few years ago when some friends and I, funnily enough, made Gordon’s Beef Wellington from the first season of The F-Word.

Much less intimidating to work with than phyllo dough (and better tasting, too), the most effort comes with sprinkling some flour on your work surface and rolling out the defrosted dough.  The only problem was that Gordon’s Christmas palmiers were mincemeat palmiers.  Nothing shouts awkward Christmas party moment louder than the girl who brings mincemeat.  I like mincemeat, you might like mincemeat, but a treat with dried fruit is not the one that everyone goes running for.  Even me, the unapologetic “I’m not crazy about chocolate” person, would choose oatmeal chocolate chip cookies over oatmeal raisin.  Raisins and the like can only be used when you really know your audience.  For this party, I didn’t.  So where did I go instead?  Fig jam and chocolate chips.  Fig = trendy, chocolate = crowd pleaser.  Good strategy, huh?

I don’t know why so many backs of my little palmiers broke.  I may have caused tears while cutting them.  Which reminds me to tell you that it’s important that you do freeze the dough for at least 30 minutes before cutting.  All the icing sugar is also necessary because there is no sugar in the dough.  The possibilities for fillings are endless.  Cinnamon and sugar would be perfect, as I’m sure something like Nutella would also be.  Hmmmm…savoury ones too.  Pesto.  Jalapeno jelly.   And one day, yes, mincemeat.

Chocolate-Fig Palmiers
Adapted from Christmas Mincemeat Palmiers Makes about two dozen.

375 g puff pastry
4 tablespoons fig jam
2 1/2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips
icing sugar for dusting
all-purpose flour for dusting

Defrost puff pastry in fridge overnight.

Roll out dough on floured surface until it’s about 9 or 10 inches wide and about 12 inches long.  If your pastry already comes as a sheet, you may not have to roll at all.  Spread the jam all over the dough, leaving about a 1-centimetre border around.  Sprinkle chips evenly and then sift icing sugar over until the surface is completely dusted.

Roll the pastry from both ends to make two concentric circles that meet in the middle.  Place dough in freezer for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Slice dough into 1-centimetre slices and place on parchment-lined baking sheet.  Dust again with icing sugar.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and dust a third time with icing sugar.  Cool completely.