Mini 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.

MINI ELEPHANT EARS

Steps:

• Thaw the dough at room temperature for about 2 hours. Heat oil in an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer to 375°. Combine the sugar and cinnamon; set aside. , Stretch each piece of dough into a flat ear shape. Fry, a few at a time, for 1-1/2 minutes per side or until browned. Drain on paper towels. Brush with butter; sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar.

ELEPHANT EARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Unfold the pastry sheet on a clean work surface. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar. Starting at each long side, fold the pastry toward the center, leaving a 1/4-inch space in the middle. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar. Fold one side over the other, making a 4-layer rectangle. Cut the rectangle into twelve 3/4-inch slices and put the slices cut-side down on baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer them from the baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

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.

ELEPHANT EARS

Steps:

• Heat milk with butter until butter melts.
• Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
• Stir yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, combine milk and yeast mixtures with 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, and nutmeg.
• Stir until smooth.
• Cover and let stand until bubbly, 30 minutes.
• Stir in beaten eggs, then add additional flour to make a soft but not sticky dough.
• Turn dough onto a floured board and knead until smooth, supple, and elastic, about 8 minutes.
• Return dough to bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until dough is doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down and divide into 4 pieces.
• Divide each piece into 4 or 5 pieces.
• Put several inches of oil in a large, deep pan such as a chicken fryer or heavy dutch oven.
• Heat to about 360 degrees F.
• Work each ball of dough with the hands, shaping into a large disk, about 10 inches long and 6 inches wide.
• Fry one at a time, turning once, until nicely browned.
• Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar or cinnamon sugar while hot.
• Serve at once.

MINI ELEPHANT EARS

Steps:

• 1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheet with shortening. Sprinkle a clean surface with sugar. On sugared surface, roll pastry sheets into 12X9 1/2 inch rectangle that is 1/8 inch thick. Mark a line lengthwise down center of pastry rectangle. Fold long sides of rectangle towards the centerline, leaving 1/4 inch uncovered at center. Fold rectangle lengthwise in half, pressing pastry together to form a strip, 12X2 1/2 inches. Cut strip crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Mix sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Dip slices in sugar mixture to coat both sides. Put slices about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, turning after 5 minutes, until cookies begin to turn golden brown. Immediately remove cookies to wire rack to cool. (makes about 48 cookies)

FRIED DOUGH (ELEPHANT EARS)

Steps:

• Add to the bowl of a bread maker and set on the dough cycle. Or, mix vigorously in a large mixing bowl and let rise until double in bulk.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Punch down and knead.
• Roll out to about 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut into strips 2 ½ inches wide and cut the strips into squares. Or just grab some dough and streach it into the shape of an elephants ear.
• Cover and let rest for about 10 minutes.
• Using a large fry pan, fill with about three inches of cooking oil. Heat until the temperature of the oil is 360 degrees. If the fat is too cool, the dough will absorb the oil and if the fat is too hot, the dough will brown before it is cooked in the middle.
• Lower the dough gently into the cooking oil, two or three pieces at a time. When brown on one side, turn and brown on the other side. Lift from the cooking oil with a fork or tongs and drain on paper towels.
• Brush the fried dough with melted butter and sprinkle with powdered or cinnamon sugar.