State Fair Funnel Cakes with Bacon Bits
plus Maple Glaze & Chocolate–Peanut Butter Drizzle
You don't need to wait for a state fair to get this savory-sweet spin on this special treat (with toppings galore!). You'll pour batter into hot oil, sizzle it to golden brown perfection, and finish with your choice of maple glaze, chocolate–peanut butter sauce, a shower of crisp-smoky bacon bits, a classic dusting of powdered sugar...or all four!
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
Ingredients
½ cup
Flour
(Contains Wheat)
2 tablespoon
Maple Syrup
3 ounce
Semisweet Chocolate Chips
(Contains Soy)
4 ounce
Powdered Sugar
246 g
Tempura Mix
(Contains Eggs, Milk, Wheat)
1 unit
Milk
(Contains Milk)
1 unit
Peanut Butter
(Contains Peanuts)
2 teaspoon
Honey
4 ounce
Bacon
Nutrition Values
Instructions
Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine tempura batter, flour, ¼ cup sugar, and a pinch of salt. Whisk to evenly combine. Add milk and ⅓ cup water to bowl with dry mix. Whisk until combined and no lumps remain, 30-60 seconds. Carefully transfer funnel cake batter to a large liquid measuring cup or another bowl with a pour spout. TIP: This will make pouring the batter into the oil much easier and safer!
Arrange bacon* in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast on middle rack until bacon is crispy, 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, place peanut butter, honey, half the chocolate chips, and 1 TBSP butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave until peanut butter is softened and chocolate chips are melted, 30-45 seconds. Add a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth and combined.
Place maple syrup, half the powdered sugar (reserve remaining powdered sugar for serving), 1½ tsp water, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Whisk to combine until powdered sugar has dissolved and glaze has thickened.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 inches of oil to 375°F over medium-high heat. TIP: This amount of oil may take 5-6 minutes to heat up. If you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, you can test the oil by placing the end of a wooden spoon in the pot; if small bubbles quickly form around the spoon, the oil is ready for frying.
Reduce heat to medium. Slowly drizzle ¼ cup funnel cake batter in a thin line into pot, swirling around the pot and overlapping as desired. Cook for 2 minutes or until bottom is light golden brown.
Carefully flip using tongs. Cook an additional 2 minutes or until golden brown. (TIP: It’s OK if some of the funnel cake breaks off into smaller pieces—they will still taste delicious!) Carefully remove funnel cake from pot and transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining batter until you have four funnel cakes.
Roughly chop bacon into bite-size pieces.
Dust funnel cakes with remaining powdered sugar if desired. TIP: Use a fine-mesh strainer if you have one to make the dusting easier! Serve funnel cakes with crispy bacon bits, chocolate–peanut butter sauce, and maple glaze.
Pork is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 145°.
