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Beaver Tails – Canadian Pastry Recipe


Beaver tails are a Canadian delicacy made with golden fried dough formed like a beaver’s tail and coated in cinnamon sugar. Recreate this genuine pastry at dwelling for a nostalgic style of Canada!

Beaver tails on brown paper.

 

Should you’ve ever been to a Canadian truthful, carnival, or Ottawa’s Winterlude, you’ve in all probability seen individuals lining up for genuine beaver tails. This Canadian delicacy is fried till golden with crisp edges and a chewy heart, a nostalgic deal with Canadians have beloved for many years.

Just like bannock, one other Canadian fried dough, they’re are distinctive in that they’re made with yeast for a lighter, chewier texture. Alongside maple leaf sandwich cookies and butter tarts, they’re one of many nation’s most beloved candy pastries, and now that I stay in Italy, I like recreating them with this do-it-yourself beaver tails recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Acquainted but distinctive: This candy Canadian deal with has the nostalgic taste of churros, funnel cake, or elephant ears, however with its personal chewy, yeasted texture.
  • Customizable: The basic cinnamon sugar coating is only the start; prime them with chocolate, fruit, and even maple glaze.

What Are Beaver Tails?

Beaver Tails are a well-known Canadian pastry comprised of yeasted dough that’s stretched into the form of a beaver’s tail, fried like a donut till golden, and coated in cinnamon sugar. They have been first launched in Ontario within the late Seventies and have since change into a beloved Canadian delicacy.

And no, they aren’t really comprised of beavers! The identify is a playful nod to considered one of Canada’s most iconic animals, with the stretched dough resembling the flat, vast form of a beaver’s tail.

Ingredient Notes

  • Heat water & milk: Activate the yeast and assist create a mushy, tender dough. Utilizing each offers the pastry a richer taste than water alone.
  • Lively dry yeast: The leavening agent that makes the dough gentle and chewy. Ensure it’s contemporary so your dough rises correctly.
  • Egg yolk: Provides richness and helps the dough keep mushy inside whereas frying.
  • Oil or melted butter: Retains the dough tender and provides taste. Both works relying on what you might have readily available.
  • Granulated sugar: Slightly goes into the pastry dough so as to add a candy style. 
  • Salt and vanilla extract: Steadiness the sweetness and add depth of taste.
  • All-purpose flour: Offers the dough construction. Spoon and degree for accuracy.
  • Cinnamon sugar: A thick coating of cinnamon with granulated sugar is the basic of entirety to a beavertail. 
  • Oil for frying: Use a impartial oil with a excessive smoke level like vegetable or canola.
Ingredients for the recipe.Ingredients for the recipe.

How you can Make Beaver Tails

To start out, activate the yeast by stirring heat water, heat milk, and a pinch of sugar collectively within the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast over prime and let it sit till it turns into foamy.

The yeast and water in the mixing bowl.The yeast and water in the mixing bowl.

Subsequent, add within the egg yolk, oil (or melted butter), sugar, salt, and vanilla. Give it a fast stir, then add the flour. Knead with the dough hook till the dough comes collectively.

Making the dough and bringing it together.Making the dough and bringing it together.

As soon as the dough is prepared, transfer it to a calmly floured floor, form it right into a ball, and place it in a calmly oiled bowl. Cowl and let it rise in a heat spot till it doubles in dimension.

The dough before and after rising.The dough before and after rising.

After rising, punch down the dough and knead it just some occasions to easy it out. Divide into 4 items and stretch or roll each into an oval. That is the place you’ll see that basic beaver tail form!

The dough divided into four and rolled.The dough divided into four and rolled.

Now it’s time to fry. Gently place one dough oval within the scorching oil and fry till golden. Take away and let drain briefly on a paper towel. Whereas nonetheless heat, press every fried beavertail pastry into the cinnamon sugar combination so it sticks to the floor.

The beavertails fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar.The beavertails fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar.

Shake off any extra, serve straight away, and luxuriate in your do-it-yourself beaver tails!

Beaver tails in a bowl.Beaver tails in a bowl.

recipe suggestions

  • Frying temperature issues: Hold the oil between 360–370°F. Too scorching and the surface will brown earlier than the within cooks; too cool and the dough will take in oil and switch greasy. A sweet or frying thermometer helps lots right here.
  • Don’t overcrowd the pan: Fry one or two at a time so the oil temperature stays regular.
  • Stretch and rating: Gently pull the dough into an oval form, then use a pointy knife to calmly rating the floor so it resembles a beaver’s tail. 
  • Coat generously: Brush the new pastry with melted butter if wanted, then dip in loads of cinnamon sugar. A thick coating is what offers a basic cinnamon sugar beavertail its genuine style.
  • Serve contemporary: This do-it-yourself deal with is greatest loved heat proper after frying when the sides are crisp and the facilities are nonetheless mushy.

Favourite Toppings

Listed here are a couple of in style variations you would possibly see at Canadian stands:

  • Maple glaze: A candy nod to Canada’s most well-known taste. Attempt the maple glaze from my straightforward cinnamon rolls.
  • Nutella and bananas: Wealthy, creamy, and a longtime fan favourite.
  • Strawberries and whipped cream: Contemporary, gentle, and excellent for summer season.
  • Powdered sugar: Easy however all the time scrumptious.
    Chocolate and mini marshmallows: For a gooey, s’mores-inspired twist.
Beaver tails with one cut in half in a plate.Beaver tails with one cut in half in a plate.

These basic Canadian BeaverTails are greatest loved heat and freshly topped, when the dough is crisp on the surface and mushy inside. Whether or not completed merely with cinnamon sugar or loaded along with your favorite toppings, they’re a nostalgic deal with that brings a style of Canada to any kitchen.

  • 1 tablespoon water (lukewarm)
  • ¼ cup milk (lukewarm)
  • 1 pinch granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon energetic dry yeast
  • 1 massive egg yolk (room temperature)
  • tablespoons oil (or melted butter)
  • tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • cups all objective flour

EXTRAS

  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½-1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • oil for deep frying
  • Within the stand mixer combine collectively the water, milk and pinch of sugar, sprinkle the yeast on prime and let sit for 5-10 minutes. Add the egg yolk, oil, remaining sugar, salt and vanilla and stir to mix. Add the flour and knead for about 5-6 minutes till mixed.

  • Transfer the dough to a calmly floured flat floor and kind right into a ball. Place in a calmly oiled bowl, cowl with plastic wrap, place in a heat draft free space and let rise till doubled.

  • Punch the dough down and knead a couple of occasions, divide into 4 components and kind every into an oval form ¼ inch form.

  • Warmth 2 inches of oil in a medium heavy pot (or observe the instructions if utilizing a deep fryer) utilizing a sweet thermometer till temperature reaches 360-370F (180-185C).

  • Place cinnamon and sugar on a plate.

  • Fry the dough till golden 1-2 minutes on all sides, drain on a paper towel, whereas nonetheless heat press dough gently within the sugar. Shake off any extra. Serve instantly. Get pleasure from!

If sugar doesn’t stick brush the beaver tail with melted butter then dip within the sugar.
Whereas these pastries are greatest contemporary, when you’ve got extras, hold them in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 1 day. Reheat briefly within the oven to crisp them again up.
To freeze – they need to be fully cooled, place the fried pastries (with out cinnamon sugar coating) in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for as much as 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven till warmed by way of. (They received’t be fairly as crisp as contemporary, however nonetheless tasty.) After reheating, coat in cinnamon sugar. 

Energy: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fats: 7g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 2g | Monounsaturated Fats: 3g | Trans Fats: 0.02g | Ldl cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 155mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg | Phosphorus: 79mg

Please go away a remark under or pin it to your Pinterest account!

recipe FAQs

Are beaver tails like donuts?

In some methods, sure. Each are comprised of yeast dough and fried till golden, however beaver tails are stretched flat into an oval form quite than puffed into rounds. The feel is gentle and chewy, with that signature cinnamon sugar coating.

Can I exploit on the spot yeast as an alternative of energetic dry yeast?

Sure! You’ll be able to swap on the spot yeast for energetic dry yeast in the identical quantity. Simply skip the proofing step and blend it immediately with the flour earlier than kneading.

Can I retailer leftover beaver tails?

Whereas these pastries are greatest contemporary, when you’ve got extras, hold them in an hermetic container at room temperature for as much as 1 day. Reheat briefly within the oven to crisp them again up.

Can I freeze beaver tails?

Sure, as soon as fully cooled, place the fried pastries (with out cinnamon sugar coating) in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for as much as 1 month. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven till warmed by way of. (They received’t be fairly as crisp as contemporary, however nonetheless tasty.) After reheating, coat in cinnamon sugar. 

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