Sandra Ina Garten Elephant Ears Recipe is a French pastry made with frozen puff pastry, caster sugar, ground cinnamon, and salt rolled, folded, sliced, and baked until caramelised and crisp.
The first time I made these, I didn’t press the sugar into the pastry properly and half of it fell off onto the baking tray. Now I roll over it firmly with a rolling pin before folding and the sugar stays put.
Don’t skip flipping them halfway through. One side alone won’t caramelise evenly and you’ll end up with pale, soft patches instead of crisp, golden layers all over.
Ina Garten Elephant Ears Recipe Ingredients
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 100g (3½oz) caster sugar
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
- ¼ tsp fine salt
How To Make Ina Garten Elephant Ears Recipe
- Preheat and prep surface: Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Mix the sugar, cinnamon (if using), and salt together in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of this mixture onto a clean work surface.
- Roll out the pastry: Lay the thawed puff pastry on the sugared surface. Sprinkle the remaining sugar mixture evenly over the top and press it firmly into the dough using a rolling pin. Roll once or twice to embed the sugar properly.
- Fold the dough: Fold the long sides of the puff pastry inward to meet in the centre. Fold each side inward again so they nearly touch. Finally, fold one half over the other to form a compact log.
- Slice and bake: Slice the rolled dough into 1cm (½ inch) thick pieces. Place them cut side up on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, spacing them about 5cm apart.
- Bake and flip: Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and caramelised. Flip each piece halfway through using a spatula to ensure even browning on both sides.
- Cool and serve: Transfer the elephant ears to a wire rack and let them cool completely before serving. They crisp up as they cool.
Recipe Tips
Press the sugar in firmly. Sprinkling it on top isn’t enough. Roll over it with a rolling pin to press it into the pastry so it doesn’t fall off during folding.
Thaw the pastry properly. Leave it in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for 30 minutes. Pastry that’s too cold cracks when you fold it.
Slice evenly. Uneven pieces bake at different rates. Use a ruler if you need to and aim for 1cm thickness across the whole log.
Watch them closely after 10 minutes. Sugar burns fast. Check them at 10 minutes and pull them out as soon as they’re golden brown.
Cool on a wire rack. Leaving them on the baking tray traps steam underneath and makes the bottoms soggy instead of crisp.
What To Serve With Elephant Ears
These work well with a cup of strong black coffee or tea. The sweetness and crunch pair naturally with something bitter without needing anything else on the plate.
They also fit on a dessert platter alongside fresh berries and whipped cream. The contrast between crisp pastry and soft fruit covers all the textures.
How To Store Elephant Ears
Fridge
Store cooled elephant ears in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The fridge makes them soft and chewy, so avoid it unless your kitchen is very warm.
Reheat
Refresh them in the oven at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for 3-5 minutes to crisp them back up. A microwave makes them soggy and ruins the texture.
Freeze
Freeze unbaked sliced pieces on a baking tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
Ina Garten Elephant Ears Recipe Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 12):
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Protein: 1g
- Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 90mg
Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
Yes. Leave it out and the pastries will still caramelise and crisp up properly. The sugar alone gives plenty of flavour.
One side stays pale and soft whilst the other caramelises. Flipping ensures both sides turn golden and crisp.
Yes, but frozen puff pastry saves time and works just as well. Homemade pastry needs to be rolled to about 3mm thickness before you start.
Ina Garten Elephant Ears Recipe
Description
Crisp, caramelised puff pastry palmiers rolled in cinnamon sugar and baked until golden with flaky, sweet layers throughout.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Mix sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle half onto a clean work surface.
- Lay thawed puff pastry on sugared surface. Sprinkle remaining sugar mixture on top and press firmly with a rolling pin to embed it.
- Fold long sides of pastry inward to meet in centre. Fold each side inward again so they nearly touch. Fold one half over the other to form a compact log.
- Slice into 1cm thick pieces. Place cut side up on a lined baking tray, spaced 5cm apart.
- Bake 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until both sides are golden brown and caramelised.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.
