Little Ears
Little Ears (Orejitas)
Puff Pastry
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, ice cold
1 tsp Mexican lime juice
1 cup ice water
In an electric mixer bowl, mix flour & salt
Cut the cold butter into small cubes & drop into the flour
Mix on slow speed for about 4 to 5 min
Continue beating, & mix in lime juice & ice water until they have been absorbed by the flour, 1 min only
Dough will be a rough mass
Chill dough in the refrigerator for 20 min
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface
With palms of your h&s ,push it into a rough rectangle
Brush with flour
With a rolling pin roll into a 12-inch rectangle, 1/2 inch thick
Fold the rectangle over 3 times, then refrigerate for 20 min
Remove from the refrigerator & roll into another rectangle 12 inches long
Fold over 3 times & refrigerate for 20 min more
Remove from the refrigerator & roll into a rectangle 12 inches long again
Fold over 3 times & refrigerate for 20 min
Transfer dough to plastic wrap & chill dough for 8 hrs or overnight
It can rest in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
Makes approximately 3 lb
When ready to make Little Ears, line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
Preheat oven to 425 deg F
Using a rolling pin, roll the Puff Pastry dough over 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar until it forms a 12-inch square, 1/8-inch thick
With a sharp knife, trim edges
Place in the freezer for 5 min
Remove from the freezer & brush both sides of the dough with confectioners’ sugar
Bring the 2 ends of the dough toward the center & fold lengthwise
Now fold again lengthwise toward the center to make a 4-layer dough 12 inches wide
Brush both sides of the dough with more confectioners’ sugar
Place in the freezer again for 5 min
Remove from freezer
With a sharp knife, cut pastry into thin strips 1/4 x 3 1/2 inches, then close each pastry strip to form a butterfly shape or ears
Lay them on prepared cookie sheets in staggered rows, about 2 inches apart
Return to the freezer for 5 min
Bake for 25 to 30 min, or until golden
Transfer Little Ears to a wire rack to cool
They will be sticky, so do not place one on top of the other
Serve immediately or the same day
Makes 24
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