Funnel Cakes | Desserts

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May

2009

Anyone who’s ever been to a fair or carnival, will remember the humble delicacy called “Funnel Cake”. It’s a warm and sugary thing that you could pull apart every bite and smile a happy grin covered in the powdered sugar when you were finished. (Who said Sugar Plumb Fairies were the be all?)

Now you don’t have to wait for the annual fair to enjoy this “down home” specialty, I share with you my old and frequently used recipe and serving suggestions. And, here’s a hint, make them during the Fall and Winter to surprise people, it’ll knock their socks off!

FUNNEL CAKES

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

Dash cinnamon, if desired

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cups whole milk

4 tbs. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Vegetable or canola oil for frying, approx. 1 quart

1. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, if desired. Set aside.

2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredient to egg mixture, beat with electric hand mixer until batter is smooth. Batter should be of a consistency to flow smoothly through a funnel. If too thick, add a little more milk 1 tsp. at a time or if too thin, a little more flour 1 tsp at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

3. In a deep fryer, electric skillet or fry pan with a two inch lip, heat oil to 360F.

4. Covering the bottom opening of a funnel, pour batter into the funnel. Holding funnel over hot oil, remove finger from bottom and release batter in a spiral motion to the size of a large donut, about 3-1/2 inches. Spirals and endless intricate shapes can be made by swirling and criss-crossing while controlling the funnel spout with a finger.

5. Fry until puffy and golden, about 3 minutes; turn over and cook other side for about another minute more. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon or strainer and drain on paper towel.

**Instead of using a funnel, you can use a measuring cup, a gravy separator pitcher, a refillable ketchup squeeze bottle, but you may need to snip off part of the nozzle to make it wide enough. Also, a small, new plant watering can that holds 1 quart is perfect too!

**Place cakes in a single layer, on foil in a 175F oven to keep warm while you finish making the rest of the funnel cakes. Leave them in a warm oven until ready to serve.

Yield: 10-15 cakes

TOPPINGS:

Powdered sugar is most commonly used to dust the cakes, but they’ve been served with cinnamon sugar, Demerara sugar, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup, molasses, jams, preserves, ice cream, thin icings, chopped pecans, chopped almonds, whipped cream and diced or chopped fruit, just to name a few.

SPECIAL NEEDS:

An electric skillet works great to maintain the heat temperature, but a high sided skillet with a thermometer works well.

The batter can be poured through a funnel in a free form pattern or you may want to contain the batter in a ring form. To make your own ring forms, save 8 ounce tins from pineapple rings or other fruit, they measure about 4 inches across (do not use tuna cans, the oil from the fish permeates the metal which transfers when heated.) Remove the label and with a can opener, remove the top and bottom. Run the tins through the dishwasher or scrub in hot, soapy water and dry thoroughly. When the cakes are partially done, use tongs to remove the rings so you can flip the cakes to cook on the other side.

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