Sue Pierce from South Bend, Ind., wrote in looking for a recipe for making elephant ears, the kind that you can get at many local fairs across the country. She said her mom loves them and she was hoping someone would be able to share an easy recipe so that she could make them for her at home.

Beth Raker from Mishawaka, Ind., saw Pierce’s request and sent in a recipe that she said was given to her by a teacher who served as a missionary in Mexico. She said she has enjoyed making these with her children and grandchildren for at least 25 years.

While I have come across other recipes for elephant ears that are made with puff pastry, Raker’s recipe for this country fair treat is really nothing more than fried dough. The simple baking powder dough is a snap to make and can be fried in just 3⁄8-inch of vegetable oil, no messy deep-frying necessary. The thinner you roll out the dough, the crisper the ears will be.

Requests

Ann Montgomery from Millersville, Md., is looking for a dessert her mother used to make in the 1950s called Cottage Pudding. It was a one-layer yellow cake over which she poured a slightly sweet, fairly thin white sauce. Her mother lived in southern Ohio and was Irish/German, so it may have been a regional dish.

Recipe Finder

Looking for a hard-to-find recipe or can answer a request? Write to Julie Rothman, Recipe Finder, The Baltimore Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278, or email baltsunrecipefinder@gmail.com. Names must accompany recipes for them to be published.