Funnel Cake!

Not a really healthy recipe, but one of those that you can tweak enough to incorporate some healthy and nutritious ingredients, and remember not to over-indulge in! Fair food is great, and what's more great than being able to make it at home, at a fraction of the cost! Enjoy with vanilla ice cream and strawberry topping!
I must say that when I first attempted this recipe, I accidentally omitted the sugar in the batter, and they turned out wonderful! Perfect for those who don't like their dessert too sweet!

Fair Funnel Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 1/4 cup flour
  
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)
  

Warm Strawberry Topping:

• 2 cups washed, sliced, fresh strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• a few drops of lemon juice
  

Method:

1. In a deep skillet, heat about two cups of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Test the temperature by dropping a pinch of flour into the hot oil. If it sizzles right away without smoking, it's perfect.

2. Beat egg and milk. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly add to the egg mixture, beating until smooth.

3. Using a funnel, drop into hot oil working from center outwards in a web pattern. (You can use a gallon sized freezer bag instead of a funnel by pouring the batter into the bag, snipping off a small corner of it, and squeezing the batter into the oil.)

4. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, remove from the oil when golden brown and crispy.

5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Strawberry Topping Recipe:

1. In a medium pot, combine water and sugar, on low heat. Stir until dissolved. Add sliced strawberries and cook on low heat, until strawberries begin to soften and the red colour begins to seep into the liquid. Mix cornstarch with a bit of cold water (in a separate bowl) add gradually to cooking strawberries, until desired thickness. Remove from heat and serve immediately on hot funnel cakes!

I thought that since I have a picture of biscotti as my banner, I should post up a recipe! Here are two of my favourite biscotti recipes of all time!

Lemon Biscotti
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons milk
• zest of one lemon

Method:
Preheat oven to 300 F. With a hand-held mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the lemon zest and juice. Stir in half of the flour mixture. Stir in the milk, and the rest of the flour. Combine well.

Form the dough into logs. Place them on to cookie sheets with parchment paper. Bake for 35 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes, and reduce the heat to 275 F. Cut the log into slices, and lay each cookie on the side and bake for 10 more minutes.


Chocolate Chip Biscotti
Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds (optional)
  

Method:
Preheat the oven to 300 F. In a bowl, mix together the oil and sugar. Whisk in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, salt and baking powder. Stir thoroughly, and fold in chocolate chips, and nuts (if using).

Form the dough into logs. Place them on to cookie sheets with parchment paper. Bake for 35 minutes. Let them cool for 10 minutes, and reduce the heat to 275 F. Cut the log into slices, and lay each cookie on the side and bake for 10 more minutes.

For an extra special biscotti, dip or drizzle each cookie with melted white or dark chocolate after completely cooled.

How about some homemade doughnuts?

Chef Michael Smith has done it yet again! The old-fashioned cinnamon-sugar doughnut, homemade!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
  

Method:
In a large bowl combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, buttermilk and eggs. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir well until a dough is formed.

On a floured surface roll the dough until it's about 1” thick. Cut out doughnuts using a 3” round cutter and then cut out the centers with a half inch round cutter.

Drop the doughnuts into the hot oil and fry until they are golden and float to the top. Flip and fry on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon and toss the hot doughnuts in the mixture.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Exams are over, which means summer is here and that means a whole lot of baking and experimentation!!

I was recently told about this pancake recipe by a family friend. I remember when my mom used to make these for me. In Polish, they are called "nalesniki". It's one of those recipes that can add some spice and variety to everyday breakfast ideas (not to mention dessert, these would go great with some vanilla ice cream!!). They also add a bit of nutritional value too! Feel free to add extra ingredients here and there for a personalized pancake batter!





Apple Cinnamon Pancakes


Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup ground oats (grind in a food processor)
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 large apples, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup icing sugar (optional)
  

Method:
In a large bowl mix together the flour, ground oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. In another bowl whisk together the eggs, brown sugar, butter and vanilla. Combine both ingredients and mix in the milk. Stir in the diced apple chunks, until batter is uniform.

On a medium-heat lightly greased pan, pour about 1/2 cup of the batter for each pancake. When the batter begins to bubble on the top and the edges are just firming up, flip the cake over. Serve the pancakes hot, sifted with icing sugar, whipped cream and fresh berries.