Canadian Beaver Tail Fried Pastries

BirdyBaker's Note:

With all of the Canadians here in Zaar, I was surprised that I could not find a copycat recipe for the Canadian fried pastry sold as Beavertails®! Strange name, I know, but they are soooo good. Anyone who has been skating on the Rideau Canal is sure to have tried one and I have even seen them being sold in Halifax. I think they have something similar in America called "Elephant Ears". I got this version of the recipe from betterbaking.com. Dough can be made in bread machine set on "dough" cycle.

• Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 20 pastries

• 1/2 cup warm water
• 5 teaspoons dry yeast
• 1 pinch sugar
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup oil
• 4 1/4-5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• oil (for frying)
• granulated sugar (for dusting)
• cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast, warm water and pinch of sugar.
2. Allow to stand a couple of minutes to allow yeast to swell or dissolve.
3. Stir in remaining sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, oil, salt, and most of flour to make soft dough.
4. Knead 5-8 minutes (by hand or with a dough hook), adding flour as needed to form a firm, smooth, elastic dough.
5. Place in a greased bowl. Place bowl in a plastic bag and seal. (If not using right away, you can refrigerate the dough at this point).
6. Let rise in a covered, lightly greased bowl; about 30-40 minutes.
7. Gently deflate dough. (If dough is coming out of the fridge, allow to warm up for about 40 minutes before proceeding).
8. Pinch off a golfball-sized piece of dough. Roll out into an oval and let rest, covered with a tea towel, while you are preparing the remaining dough.
9. Heat about 4 inches of oil in fryer (a wok works best, but you can use a Dutch oven or whatever you usually use for frying). Temperature of the oil should be about 385°F.
10. Add the dough pieces to the hot oil, about 1-2 at a time.
11. BUT -- before you do, stretch the ovals into a tail shape, like a beaver's tail - thinning them out and enlarging them as you do.
12. Turn once to fry until the undersides are deep brown.
13. Lift the tails out with tongs and drain on paper towels.
14. Fill a large bowl with a few cups of white sugar.
15. Toss the tails in sugar (with a little cinnamon if you wish) and shake off excess.
16. Divine with a bit of jam or apple pie filling!

Reviews

[I_wanna_learn_to_cook]

Had these, but in PEI. Everyone raved about Mom making Beaver Tails (or Elephant Ears depending on the child). Topped them with maple spread and walnut pieces, and my fussier little ones used the good old stand by...Nutella! Awesome, thanks for posting!!

[meganhalley]

This recipe is awesome! I used to make funnel cakes but these are waay better. Mixing cinnamon and sugar together tastes sooo good. Nutella or peanut butter is reaaaaally good too.

But 1 issue i had was having extras and having no idea what to do with them. Any ideas anybody?..

I didnt think keeping them out was a good idea because of the ingredients but then again its kind of like bread..so i wasnt too sure.

[KennKonn]

I made these today for a surprise for my husband. His dad used to make them for him and his sister when they were younger. He was like a kid again waiting for them to be done. I didnt change a thing to the recipe and wouldnt change anything next time. Next Time??? Definately, absolutely. UPDATE: The MIL is here so I made these again...she loved them said they were exactly like the FIL used to make. Thanks again.