Holiday Pumpkin Elephant Ears Food

ELEPHANT EARS

Steps:

• In small saucepan over medium heat, combine milk, salt, 2 tablespoons sugar and shortening. Heat until shortening melts and sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to lukewarm, 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). Sprinkle in yeast and let sit until foamy.
• Transfer mixture to large bowl, and stir in flour to make a dough. Knead until smooth, cover and let rise 30 minutes.
• In a large heavy skillet or deep fryer, heat 1 inch of oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Roll out 1 to 2 inch balls of dough into thin sheets. Fry sheets 1 to 2 minutes on a side, until puffed and golden. Drain on paper towels.
• Combine cinnamon and 6 tablespoons sugar. Sprinkle over warm pastries. Serve.

EASY ELEPHANT EARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Mix sugar and cinnamon., On a lightly floured surface, roll one sheet of pastry into an 11x8-in. rectangle. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cinnamon sugar. Working from short sides, roll up jelly-roll style toward the center. Wrap in plastic; freeze 10 minutes. Repeat., Unwrap and cut dough into 1/2-in. slices; place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

CINNAMON ELEPHANT EARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and kosher salt and pour it over a flat surface such as a wooden board or marble slab. Unfold the sheet of puff pastry onto the sugar mixture.
• Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon and spread it evenly on the puff pastry. This is not about sprinkling, it's about an even covering of sugar. With a rolling pin, lightly roll the dough until it's a 13-inch square and the sugar is pressed into the puff pastry on top and bottom. Fold the sides of the square toward the center so they go halfway to the middle. Fold them again so the two folds meet exactly at the middle of the dough. Then fold one half over the other half as though closing a book. You will have 6 layers. Slice the dough into 3/8-inch slices and place the slices, cut side up, on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
• Bake the cookies for 6 minutes, or until caramelized and brown on the bottom, then turn with a spatula and bake for another 3 to 5 minutes, until caramelized on the other side. Transfer to a baking rack to cool.

HOLIDAY PUMPKIN ELEPHANT EARS

Steps:

• Stir together everything but the oil of course, and chill for 1 hour for easier handling.
• Cut dough into fourths.
• Knead 1 portion, and break into 4-6 parts.
• Pat or roll each into a thin cake/disk.
• Repeat with all remaining dough.
• Slide cakes carefully into hot oil.
• Fry until golden brown on both sides turning only once.
• The bread will puff up and get very crisp.
• Dust with cinnamon sugar or powdered sugar, or serve with butter and maple syrup.

"CANADIAN" ELEPHANT EAR FRIED PASTRIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the yeast, warm water and the pinch of sugar.
• Let stand until it is a slightly foamy (approximately 5 minutes).
• Then add the other 1/3 cup of sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, oil and salt.
• Stir it all until it is smooth.
• Mix in about half of the flour and continue stirring it.
• Gradually add more flour.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface when it is firm enough to handle.
• Knead for approximately 6-8 minutes.
• Add more flour if you need it to form a firm elastic dough.
• Place dough in a greased bowl and cover.
• Let dough sit covered until it rises and doubles (approximately 35-45 minutes). Lightly deflate the dough and pinch off a piece the size of a golf ball.
• On a floured surface use a rolling pin to roll out the small ball of dough into an oval shape.
• Put it aside and cover it with a clean tea towel while you continue to do the same with the remaining dough.
• Heat approximately 4 inches of oil in either a deep-fryer (375 degrees) or a wok or a Dutch oven.
• Before placing the flattened dough into the oil, stretch them into ovals and thin them and enlarge them (to resemble the tail). Place the tails in the oil one (or two) at a time.
• Fry in the oil, turn them once until the tails are a deep brown.
• This process usually takes about 1 to 2 minutes per side.
• Carefully remove the tail from the oil and let it drain on a paper towel.
• Place left over sugar in a flat dish like a pie pan and add the cinnamon.
• Toss the tail into the bowl while it is still hot.
• Shake off any extra sugar and cinnamon mixture.
• Serve warm.