Elephant Ear Dutch Baby Recipes

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.

BAKED ELEPHANT EARS

Steps:

• Preheat the over to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
• Stir flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in milk and the 1/4 cup melted butter until dough forms.
• Turn dough onto a flat, floured surface. Knead dough 10 times. Roll dough with a rolling pin or pat with hands into a rectangle, 9x5 inches. Brush with remaining melted butter using a pastry brush; sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough up tightly, beginning at narrow end. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Cut into 4 equal pieces with sharp knife. Place cuts sides up on cookie sheet; pat each into a 6-inch circle.
• Bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Immediately remove from cookie sheet with a spatula. Let cool on wire rack.

"ELEPHANT EAR" DUTCH BABY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425. Mix the eggs, flour and milk in a blender on medium speed until just blended. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Pour the batter into the skillet over the melted butter.
• Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the top is puffy and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
• Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. When the dutch baby is done, spread the butter over it with a pastry brush. Then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. You can cut the dutch baby into equal servings, but in our family, we like to put the whole thing on a large plate and just tear pieces off (again like an elephant ear!) :-).

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.