Elephant Ears

Recipe Index:  Breads/Pastries > Doughnuts/Pastries

Ingredients
4 1/2 to 5 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 Pkgs Rapid Rise Yeast
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter/margarine
2 eggs

Directions
In Large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast and salt. Heat milk, water and 5 tbsp butter until very warm (125° to 130°) No warmer because you'll kill the yeast!!!! Stir this into the dry ingredients . Mix in eggs and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough (about 1 to 1 1/2 cups)

Turn out on floured surface and knead about 4 min until smooth and elastic. (for the non-bread bakers, you have to keep sprinkling a bit of flour to keep it from sticking to the surface you're using and to your hands.) In CLEAN, large bowl, melt remaining butter. Place dough in the bowl and turn to coat with butter. place a piece of BUTTERED waxed paper over the top of it and cover with a towel. Place in warm location to rise for about 45 min. (I heat up a cup of water for 1 to 2 min in the micro then place the bowl in the micro to rise)

It should be at least doubled in size by now. Remove cover and punch down.
Allow to rise a second time, about 20 to 30 min . Now it's ready to use.

Place 1/2 of cooking oil in large skillet and heat on Med to med high. If it smokes, it's too high. Drop a tiny piece of dough in heated oil. If it begins to bubble and float almost immediately the oil is ready. If the piece sinks like a stone, it's still too cool.

Tear off a piece of dough a little smaller than a tennis ball. Place on floured surface and flatten. Turn over so both sides have a bit of flour on them. Using a floured rolling pin or a floured glass , roll the dough so it's like a pancake about 4 to 6 across and fairly thin. Drop in heated oil and cook about 2 to 3 min. It will bubble up in places. Don't let the edges brown too much. Turn over and cook 1 to 1/2 min more. Remove and drain on 2 layers of paper towels for just a few seconds. Place on plate and immediately smear with a generous amt of butter then sprinkle on cinnamon sugar and confectionary sugar.