Funnel Cake
Crispy, golden swirls of fried batter under a snowfall of powdered sugar, with strawberries and whipped cream.
Recipe in testing: I'm cooking it in my TM7™ and will update the steps and the photo with my own.
Funnel cake is the taste of every state fair and theme park midway: ribbons of batter swirled into hot oil until they puff into a crispy, golden lattice, then buried under powdered sugar. The name comes from the funnel that was traditionally used to pour the batter into the oil in a thin, steady stream.
The Thermomix® TM7™ does the prep: it mills sugar into powdered sugar, whips the cream for serving and mixes a smooth batter in seconds. The frying happens on the stove, one funnel cake at a time, and each one takes only about 3 minutes. Serve them warm with sliced strawberries and a big spoonful of whipped cream.
Made in the Thermomix® TM7™
Funnel Cake
Makes: 6 funnel cakes, about 15 cm (6 in) each
- Prep20 min
- Cook20 min
- Total40 min
- Serves6
Ingredients
Powdered sugar and whipped cream
Batter
To fry and serve
Instructions
- Place the 50 g of sugar in the clean, dry mixing bowl and mill 15 sec/speed 10. Transfer the powdered sugar to a small sieve set over a bowl.
- Insert the butterfly whisk. Add the cold cream, the 15 g of sugar and the vanilla and whip 1-2 min/speed 3.5, watching through the lid opening, until soft peaks form. Transfer to a bowl, refrigerate and remove the butterfly whisk.
- Place the eggs, milk and vanilla for the batter in the mixing bowl. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix 15 sec/speed 4. Scrape down the sides with the spatula and mix 5 sec/speed 4 more, until smooth.
- Pour the batter into a squeeze bottle or a large measuring cup with a spout.
- In a deep 25 cm (10 in) skillet on the stove, heat about 2.5 cm (1 in) of oil to 180°C (360°F). Line a tray with paper towels.
- Pour about 120 ml (1/2 cup) of batter into the oil in a thin, steady stream, swirling and crisscrossing to make a lattice about 15 cm (6 in) wide. Fry 1 to 2 minutes, until golden underneath.
- Flip it carefully with tongs and a slotted spatula and fry 1 minute more. Drain on the paper towels and dust with powdered sugar while hot. Repeat with the rest of the batter, letting the oil come back to 180°C (360°F) each time.
- Serve warm with the sliced strawberries and a spoonful of whipped cream on the side.
Tips
- No squeeze bottle? Use a clean kitchen funnel, holding a finger over the bottom until the tip is over the oil, or a zip-top bag with one corner snipped off.
- A thermometer makes all the difference: in cooler oil the funnel cakes turn greasy, and in hotter oil they brown before the inside cooks.
- Other fair-style toppings: cinnamon sugar, chocolate sauce or warm apple pie filling.
- Funnel cakes are best right after frying. The batter keeps up to 1 day, covered, in the fridge; stir it before using.
