Imagine.
Crisp, salt air.
Sandy beaches, sand dollars galore.
A board walk.
Your favorite hoodie and comfy jeans.
A swimsuit, underneath of course, just hoping PRAYING that the Oregon coastline will love you enough to be above 70 degrees.
Just hot enough to go swimming.
Its not. EVER.
So you hear him. The candy man, in a red and white striped suit. Taffy bin in hand. Singing the candy man and passing out salt water taffy to the passerby's.
Standing right there on that beautiful corner.
You grab a candy.
Then you notice that smell. That gorgeous smell of fried dough and cinnamon.
Then look up and a sign with a giant elephant.
You are at the on and only Elephant Ear shack in Seaside, Oregon.
A must have stop in this wonderful little beach town.
This is where my sister grew up so I visited often and always begged to stop and get an elephant ear, sea foam (a delicious chocolate covered sugary treat) and salt water taffy.
She always obliged.
You can get elephant ears at fair grounds too. Being a military wife and traveling where ever we get stationed, the first time we went to a fair I assumed I could get one. I assumed wrong. Apparently no-one knows what these delicious ears are!
It hurts my heart.
I hadn't had an elephant ear in YEARS, that is until I found this delightful little recipe on pinterest.
I immediately got up after nursing Eden and made them.
Soft pillowy dough, an occasional crunchy crust, buttery, cinnamon sugary goodness.
Oh my.
I think I've gained 40 lbs this week from the mass quantities I've been making.
Here is the recipe.
Elephant Ears
- 1 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons shortening
- 4 cups all purpose flour
Oil and shortening for frying
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- melted butter
Take a big bowl and add water and yeast. Mix. Let sit 10-12 minutes.
Combine warm milk, salt, sugar and shortening. Mix well.
*****shortening will be lumpy, just break it up a bit*****
Add flour and mix until it is well combined. It will be super sticky. Then you throw it down on a WELL floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic.
Put in bowl. Cover with towel and let it rise for 1 hour.
Pat out dough and cut out 12-15 balls of dough. Try and make them even in size.
Add shortening and oil to the pot and heat it up.
Stretch them little suckers out, I like to have the centers be really thin because thats how they do it at the shack. Fry on both sides 1-2 minutes until golden brown. Set on a plate slather in butter. Then put it into a bowl and douse in the sugar mixture.
Note. This is the ONLY picture I remembered to take after the first dough had been fried.
Eat and enjoy!
