The Prussians from France to Italy

by Simona Vitagliano
Fragrant, sweet, tasty … the Prussians are able to make everyone agree with their delicate taste and that particular form that makes them recognizable everywhere.

These sweets, in fact, do not exist only in Campania and in Italy, but also in the Languedoc region, in France, moreover their place of origin, where they are called palmiers (palms) or, referring to the form, coeurs (hearts), in England , where it is possible to find them under the names elephant’s ear or butterflies  and in Spain, where, instead, they took the name of orejas (ears).

Indeed, to be honest, even in our own country it is not infrequent to find them under the name of fans or swivels.

The variants

Born in France, as mentioned, the Prussians spread throughout the world, especially in Europe, taking different names but also different “directions”, in small details, in the kitchen.

The basic recipe, in fact, provides egg yolk, puff pastry and brown sugar, with excellent butter to spread in the inner layer, before closing and folding everything in the heart shape, which will help the ingredients to blend to give that taste so delicate but decisive to the whole.

There are, however, lighter recipes, such as those that do without butter, and more delicious variations, with honey or hazelnut cream in the inner layers and even melted chocolate (or other creams) to cover.

We Neapolitans, in general, are more faithful to the traditional recipe, so in our cafes and in our patisseries it is very easy to taste excellent Prussians … “as mum has made them”!