For this year's 4th of July, there were no family barbecues or local 4th of July fireworks shows for me to attend. I was scheduled to work that evening, so I missed out; but on the bright side I had the great fortune of celebrating our nation's Independence at the American Adventure in Epcot at Walt Disney World. I don't know why guests flock to Magic Kingdom on this day, you can't get more patriotic than the American Adventure! We were treated to story telling by Betsy Ross, Meet and Greets with Benjamin Franklin (he told me Amos was resting at home when I looked at the brim of his hat), and a special concert by Epcot's incredible acappella group the Voices of Liberty.
Enough about that though, you're here because of the food! I knew I had to eat something totally American for 4th of July, and once I saw the kiosk, I knew I had to get one. Epcot makes sure to give each guest the complete immersive cultural experience when visiting each country, especially when it comes to food. America is no exception, so in addition to burgers, hot dogs, and fries, there is a little stand nestled by the pathway from American Adventure to the Japan pavillion. The little stand/kiosk serves up everyone's favorite festival/carnival/ball park fried dough, powdered sugary confection: Funnel Cake.
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| The classic Funnel Cake. Epcot also serves it with chocolate sauce or ice cream! |
Funnel Cake is actually not American...it came from the Dutch, who settled in Pennsylvania. They sold the delicious treat at State Fairs and Festivals. It is unknown when this treat arrived in America, but the dawn of its nationwide popularity can be traced to the Mid-20th century. According to funnelcake.com, Emma Miller from Germany brought her recipe over and sold it at the Kutztown Folk Festival in the 1940s and 50s where it became a huge hit, eventually gaining national attention on the Today show.
Funnel Cake is essentially a doughnut, though rather than deep frying a ball of dough, the batter is looser and is poured into the oil through a funnel and made into circular designs with random, lattice like patterns. The goal is to create a crunchy and soft treat rather than funnel globules. I once made globular funnel cakes in Home Economics class in middle school and my teacher said they were turning into fritters and not funnel cakes. Sometimes you get a globule if you don't keep your batter moving around the oil.
Funnel Cake is very easy to make and is enjoyed by nearly everyone that tries it. For most, it brings back memories of strolling through the traveling carnival or county fair on a warm summer's evening. The smell wafting on the winds is enough to activate even the tiniest traces of thoughts of festivals and fairs. So why not bring summer fun to your own kitchen with the following funnel cake recipe! Also, here are some tips for perfecting your funnel cake:
- Use a squeeze bottle like the red and yellow ketchup and mustard bottles you see at diners. Chefs use these types of tools for plating sauces, so you can easily find them in kitchen supply stores. I found mine at the local Bed Bath and Beyond.
- If you don't have a squeeze bottle, use a pitcher with a spout so you can pour the batter in a concentrated stream. You won't get as fine a line as a squeeze bottle, but it serves the same purpose.
-As with all cooking and baking, the temperature of your medium needs to be right to get the product you want. Though funnel cake does not bake at a specific temperature, don't let the oil get too hot. The batter should make some noise when it hits the oil but it should not be exploding. If your oil is steaming you are too hot!
- Sandwich
Food Network's Alton Brown gives this terrific recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 3/4 stick butter (6 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup eggs, about 4 large eggs and 2 whites
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Powdered sugar, for topping
Directions
Boil water, butter, sugar, and salt together in a saucepan. Add flour and work it in until it is all incorporated and dough forms a ball. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes. With mixer lowest speed, add eggs, 1 at a time, making sure the first egg is completely incorporated before continuing. Once all eggs have been added and mixture is smooth, put dough in a piping bag fitted with a number 12 tip. Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil in a heavy pan. Pipe dough into oil, making a free-form lattice pattern; cook until browned, flipping once. Remove cake from oil, drain on paper towels, and top with powdered sugar. Continue until all of the batter is used.
So...was like this written in the future because there is a date of "9.7.11"?
ReplyDeleteAnd you work at Disney World? Must be very fun.