Recipe: Elephant Ears (3 recipes)

ELEPHANT EARS

1 pk Dry yeast
1 c Warm water
2 Eggs beaten
4 C Flour
6 tbs sugar

Servings: 12

Sugar and cinnamon mix - set aside

Soften yeast in warm water. Combine all
ingredients except the cinnamon sugar mix.
Mix well. Divide dough into 12 pieces.
Let sit 10 minutes.

Roll out on a lightly floured board.
Using hands, stretch each piece into
circular shape. Heat vegetable oil in
10" skillet (cast iron is best). Place
each circle of dough in the hot grease.
Turn once - the surface will bubble and
blister and should be lightly browned.
Turn with spatula and broad knife.

Place on absorbent paper toweling.

Sprinkle immediately with mix of sugar
and cinnamon.

Can also serve with jam or honey.

____________________________________

ELEPHANT EARS

12 frozen dinner rolls
vegetable oil for frying
melted butter, cinnamon & sugar, powdered sugar, jam or honey

Place rolls 1 1/2 inches apart on a
greased cookie sheet.

Cover with plastic wrap, that has also
been greased. Let rise until double in
size (about 3 hours).

Stretch each roll into a 5 inch circle
before frying. Fry in oil at 375 degrees
until light brown. Brush with melted
butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.
You can also sprinkle with powdered sugar or
serve with honey or jam.

_______________________________________________

GOSH FEEL (Elephant Ear Pastries)

Ingredients (40 servings)

2 Eggs
2 ts Caster sugar
1/4 ts Salt
1/2 c Milk
4 ts Oil
2 1/2 c Plain flour
1/4 c Plain flour for kneading
1/2 ts Ground cardamom
Oil for deep-frying

TO FINISH:
1 c Icing (confectioners') sugar
1/2 ts Ground cardamom (optional)
1/2 c Finely chopped pistachios

Instructions

Note: Pistachio nuts should be blanched.
Optionally, same amount of finely chopped walnuts
may be used intead of pistachios.

Beat eggs until frothy, beat in sugar and salt.
Stir in milk and oil. Sift flour, add half to egg
mixture and blend in with wooden spoon.

Gradually stir in remainder of flour, holding back
about 1/2 cup. Turn onto floured board and dust
with some of reserved flour. Knead for 10 minutes
until smooth and glossy, using more flour as
required. Dough will still be slightly sticky.

Cover with plastic wrap and rest for 2 hours.
Take a piece of dough about the size of a large
hazelnut and roll out on a floured board to a
circle about 8-10 cm (3-4 inches) in diameter.

Gather up dough on one side and pinch,
forming a shape resembling an elephant ear.

Place on a cloth and cover. Repeat with
remaining dough.

Deep fry one at a time in oil, heated to 190 C
(375 F) turning to cook evenly. Fry until
golden, do not over-brown.

As dough is rather elastic, the pastry tends
to contract with handling, so just before
dropping pastry into hot oil, pull out lightly
with fingers to enlarge.

Drain pastries on paper towels. Sift icing
sugar with cardamom if used and dust pastries with
mixture. Sprinkle with nuts and serve warm or
cold. Store in a sealed container.

Alternative topping: Make a syrup with 1 cup
sugar and 1/2 cup water. Bring to the boil when
sugar is dissolved and boil for 5 minutes.
Dribble syrup onto warm pastries and sprinkle with
cardamom and nuts.