Strawberries and cream funnel cakes

The batter is traditionally poured through a funnel, but a squeeze bottle, from supermarkets, makes the process less messy.

The batter is traditionally poured through a funnel, but a squeeze bottle, from supermarkets, makes the process less messy. Credit: Brett Stevens

• makes

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 300 g frozen or fresh strawberries
• 75 g (⅔ cup) caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 150 ml milk
• 150 g (1 cup) plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• vegetable oil, to deep-fry
• whipped cream and pure icing sugar, to serve

Instructions

Place strawberries, caster sugar, vanilla and 2 tbs water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 6 minutes or until glossy and syrupy. Cool.

Whisk egg and milk in a jug. Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add 2 tbs sugar and ¼ tsp salt. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre and pour in milk mixture. Whisk until combined then transfer one-quarter of the batter into a squeeze bottle.

Fill an 18 cm saucepan one-third full with oil and heat over medium heat to 180ºC (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds). Pipe batter into pan in a squiggly motion until batter covers base of pan.

Cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden and cooked through. Using tongs, transfer to a paper towel-lined tray. Repeat with remaining batter. Top the cakes with whipped cream and the strawberry mixture, and dust with icing sugar, to serve.

 

As seen in Feast Magazine, Issue 15, pg78.

Photography by Brett Stevens  

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.