Wednesday, August 1, 2012

What I Made Wednesday {Carnival-Styled Funnel Cakes}

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What's a summer without a carnival passing through town? Our annual Home Days celebration set-up shop, again, for 4 days and, although I'm really not that into it, there is something about the whole atmosphere that draws even the most upstanding of citizens in. For me, it's mainly the death-food like french fries soaked in Malt Vinegar (sprayed on by a spray bottle, watered down, of course), over-priced sugar water shaken with a lemon rind disguised as fresh lemonade, and, our family favorite, the funnel cakes! Ahh, that doughy goodness of fluff and grease, all mingled together with a heavy dusting of snowy powdered sugar covering every hill and valley of this divine pastry.

Lately, we've only been going for the funnel cakes. We have a family plan in procuring such golden riches of mountainous strands of clumped dough. We get in the car and Super Hubby drops off my son and I near the carnival vicinity. Stealthily we duck and dodge the crowd of carny-goers seeking out the cleanest looking funnel cake shop while Super Hubby circles the car around like a mechanical vulture awaiting his greasy "kill". Sounds like a great plan, right?

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What we weren't counting on was the long line we discovered at the funnel cake shop - about 45 people deep, no kidding! Uumm, may I remind you Super Hubby doesn't like going out to dinner on weekends because we have to wait for a table so funnel cake wasn't going to be wait-worthy, either. But, my son and I had faith so we got in line and stood there with the masses, waiting and salivating for our cholesterol-filled treat. Then, my cell phone rang and I knew it was a call to abort mission.

Me: "Ahh, hello?"
Super Hubby: "What is taking so long?"
Me: "Well, the line for funnel cakes is really long?"
Super Hubby: "How long?"
Me: "Long. Like, really long. Probably longer than your acceptance of long."
Super Hubby: "I can't keep circling around."
Me: "Why, are you pushing the car?"
Super Hubby: "Very funny. No, I just don't think it's worth the wait for a $4 funnel cake."
Me: "$5."
Super Hubby: "I'll be waiting for you guys by the road closest to the Ferris wheel."
End call.

I got in the car, shoulders a bit slumped. I'm pretty sure I heard our son's stomach grumbling in protest. Then, I did it again. I challenged that I, too, could mix some flour and eggs together, funnel it into my own grease pit, and call it a funnel cake! And, for sure, less than $5 per cake. See, I do this and I find success (remember the restaurant-styled chicken fingers and honey mustard sauce or the Dutch baby pancake story) so, not only may I never see the inside of a restaurant ever again, but carnivals may very well be crossed off, as well. I need to fake more failure:-) Hope you enjoyed my very true story and here's the recipe! I apologize for the pictures. It's what you get when it's impromptu.




What You'll Need
48 FL OZ bottle of Canola oil
Heavy-bottomed, deep-sided pot or dutch oven
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
1-1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Funnel or ZIPLOC bag, trimmed at the corner







What You'll Do
Whisk together wet ingredients.
Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
 
Marry the wet and dry ingredients, mix until it combines into a holy matrimony.
Pour all the oil into your pot. Set your stove temp to "7". For those of you not lucky enough to have an antiqued stove like mine (circa. late 1980's) I think that would be about medium-high heat. Oil temperature should reach about 375 degrees but who's going to find the candy thermometer now?
Be prepared! Have a plate with paper towel on it, ready to absorb the oil from the funnel cake. Use tongs to flip the funnel cake. Be sure your oil is ready by testing for some sizzle when you put a pinch of flour into it. Then you know it's ready.
1. Dip your funnel into oil to coat the inside. 2. Spoon in the mixture but hold your finger under the funnel opening. 3. Release the dough into the oil (be careful). Press the dough through the funnel and make web-like passes around the oil. 4. Try to overlap so the dough has strands but is still one piece. 5. After frying each side for a couple of minutes, transfer to plate with paper towel to soak up excess oil.

 What You Need to Know to Finish
When the funnel cake has cooled a bit, go ahead and sprinkle powdered sugar over your edible creation. Others have been known to drizzle chocolate sauce, as well. Your choice, I'm not judging. Enjoy!


So, what's your favorite carnival food?
 

19 comments:

Ashley said...

I may have to try that sometime...but I get so afraid when I fry things!

I am LOVD said...

Ashley, Don't be afraid. That's why I suggest a pot with tall sides to keep the splatter in. Keeping the oil temp around 350 - 375 will keep things calm in the oil. Let me know if you try it.

Also, haven't forgotten about your request. Things are crazy right now with the last days of summer melting into the start of school. I have an idea about incorporating Grandma into a Nesting necklace. As soon as I get a chance I'll show you (after I make a sample). Thanks for your patience. Nice to see that $20 credit to the Etsy shop is burning a hole in your wallet:-)

Unknown said...

That looks just like the real thing! YUMMY!
Carolyn http://sillyhappysweet.blogspot.com

Nicole @WonkyW said...

Mmmm...funnel cake - one of my personal faves!Looks yummy - & this way you know you aren't eating anything hinky. Visiting from Creative Inspirations linkup :)

I am LOVD said...

Nicole, you are so funny!!! I just visited your blog and I love all the recipes there. LOVD readers, go visit!!!!

http://www.wonkywonderful.com/

Unknown said...

OMG are you serious? I wish I wouldn't have found this because now I'm going to make these all the time!! Yikes! :)

Found ya from the mingle!
http://bellaella2121.blogspot.com

Sarah Leonard said...

I much prefer WIMW to WIWW personally. Excellent idea! Also, I have heard of funnel cake and now want to make some!


Visiting via the Mingle With Us Hop :)

Sarah
http://acatlikecuriosity.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Oh. My. Heck. I've been looking for a good funnel cake recipe. My husband and I just went to a carnival last weekend and I wanted a funnel cake SO bad, but didn't want to pay the 5 bucks to get it. That's a crime! They have got to be making a killing off of those things! I'll be trying this out for sure. :) New follower here. Yay for being blog friends!

Heidi@OneCreativeMommy.com said...

I haven't had funnel cake since I was a teenager! So yummy. Thanks for the recipe.

Family Travels on a Budget said...

YUMMY! Funnel cake is my all-time favorite fair food! We have a fair food Friday at our house every few months (wish it was more, but too much fair food is well... you know...). We have had krispy kreme burgers (yep, cheeseburgers on a doughnut), corn fritters, corn dogs, fried oreos, fried reeses, french fries... you get the idea. If you can fry it, we'll try it! :) It's lots of fun -- and yes, cheaper than all that fried goodness at the fair.

Christine said...

I want some of your funnel cake!! PLEASE!!!

Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!

Unknown said...

There you go... nothing beats homemade, plus you eat much more than you should have bought. Never had this though, planning to make some. Thanks for sharing:)

Hopping by and following your lovely blog (FB and Pinterest).

The Quiet Mom blogging @ How to Cook Fresh Artichoke Recipe

Also, don't miss this: 12 Major Reasons to Use Self-Hosted WordPress for Blogging and Selling Your Products Online + Custom Blog or Social Network Button Giveaway

Jaime Lyn said...

Ummmmm YUM! I love fair food. LOVE! Good thing I only go once a year! Because watch out.... but now... now you have taught me how to make funnel cakes at home... oh boy I am in trouble! :o) my favorite fair food may be a little unique to Wisconsin, the cheese state, but i love cheese curds!
Jaime

Stacey said...

Yummy!!!
Thanks for sharing that delicious dessert!
Stacey of Embracing Change

Erin said...

Sound Delicious!! Love it!!

cathy@my1929charmer said...

That's a long line, 45, to wait for a funnel cake. Funnel cakes do bring back a lot of great memories! Your recipe does sound delicious! So glad you shared your creative inspiration with Sunday’s Best – your creativity helped make the party a success! PS - following you on Facebook - hope you follow my page too.

Live Laugh Rowe said...

YUMMY! I have a weakness for funnel cake :) Thanks so much for sharing this at LLR. Have a fabulous week, sweet friend. HUGS!

denise said...

how would you serve them for a baby shower? would they have to be made that day, or could they be made ahead ? how would we keep them warm w/out getting soggy? what do ya think? serving about 90people....yikes!!

I am LOVD said...

Denise, Wow! 90 is a lot. What I would do is stack them in the oven on wire racks or cookie rack coolers at 250 degrees F. The warm air will circulate around them and keep them warm and crispy. Do not tent them once out of the oven. The steam will get them all soggy! Good luck!

 

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