Elephant Ear Dutch Baby Recipes

"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!) :-).

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.

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.

COULDN'T BE EASIER ELEPHANT EARS.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°F.
• Sprinkle a thick layer of sugar on a pastry board.
• Place puff pastry on top and roll into a neat oblong.
• Fold one long side of puff pastry inward, like a jellyroll, stopping at the centre.
• Repeat on the other side. The 2 sides will meet in the centre.
• Cut into 1/4 inch slices and press each slice in sugar.
• Place slices on an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake for 6 to 8 minutes.
• Turn over and bake for another 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown.
• Variation:.
• In a food processor, process 1/2 cup chopped nuts, 2 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon until finely ground.
• sprinkle dough with mixture before folding.

EASY ELEPHANT EARS

Steps:

• Mix sugar and cinnamon together and set aside. If a shaker is available it works great for this.
• Heat oil in a large skillet to about 1 inch and about 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• If drop of water sizzles when dropped into the oil it is hot enough.
• Open biscuits and flatten carefully as large as you can get them without breaking. It is sometimes easier to stretch them in your hands like pizza dough rather than rolling out on the counter.
• Place 1 at a time in hot oil; watch carefully and turn when the bottom starts to brown lightly.
• When both top and bottom are the same color, remove from oil to paper towels.
• Immediately brush both sides with melted butter with pastry brush, and sprinkle each side liberally with cinnamon sugar.
• Eat immediately.