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Recipe Detail Page
Funnel Cakes with Roasted Plums
Summer 2015
This is the type of recipe that will have your guests swooning, one so rarely made in the home kitchen. Somehow there’s just no way around the deep-frying, but that’s precisely what makes funnel cakes so good. A funnel might be the traditional tool to use, but you may find a squeeze bottle a little less cumbersome. Whatever device you use for drizzling the batter into the oil, it should have a ¼-inch (5-mm) opening. (You may have to cut the top of the squeeze bottle to widen it.) Serve the“cakes” whole with the roasted plums on top, or the other way around, spooning the fruit onto the plate first and placing shards of crisp funnel cake overtop. As with anything deep-fried, these are best served immediately. If you must, they can be made an hour or two ahead and reheated. Instructions for reheating can be found at the end of the recipe.
Makes 10 to 12 funnel cakes, 4 inches (10 cm) each
ROASTED PLUMS
8 firm but ripe black plums, cut into
¼ inch thick (5 mm) slices
⅓ cup (80 mL) sugar
FUNNEL CAKES
1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour
1½ tbsp (22 mL) sugar
½ tsp (2 mL) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 mL) kosher salt
1 cup (250 mL) milk
1 egg
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
Grated rind of 1 orange
Vegetable oil for frying
Cherries, summer berries, lightly sweetened whipped cream and icing sugar for garnish
1 For the roasted plums, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2 Place the plums and sugar in a 9 x 13-inch (3-L) glass baking dish, and toss to combine. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or just until the plums are tender but still hold their shape. Set aside until serving. The plums can be served at room temperature or reheated in a 350°F (180°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes. The plums can also be refrigerated in a covered container for 3 days.
3 For the funnel cakes, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
4 Whisk together the milk and egg in another medium bowl. Whisk in the vanilla and orange rind.
5 Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and mix gently with a whisk just until smooth. Allow the mixture to rest for 30 minutes.
6 Place vegetable oil in a small pot to a depth of about 1½ inches (4 cm) and heat to 350°F (180°C).
7 Cover the bottom of a funnel with your fingertip and pour about 3 tbsp (45 mL) batter inside. Release the batter into the oil, swirling it around in a spiral motion until all the batter is released. Fry for about 2 minutes, until golden; then, using tongs, flip over and fry for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, until golden. Drain on paper towels. Dust generously with icing sugar and continue cooking remaining batter. Serve warm with plum compote, cherries, summer berries and lightly sweetened whipped cream. (If you’re making the funnel cakes ahead, do not dust with icing sugar. Reheat on a rack set over a baking sheet in a 250°F (120°C) oven, about 5 minutes, or until crisp on the outside and warmed through. Dust generously with icing sugar and serve immediately.)
Makes 10 to 12 funnel cakes, 4 inches (10 cm) each
