Alternative names Funnel cake Course Dessert Place of origin United States of America | Region or state Pennsylvania Type Doughnut Region Pennsylvania | |
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Main ingredients All-purpose flour, White sugar, Milk, Confectioner's sugar, Baking powder, Cooking oil, Salt, Eggs Similar Dessert, Doughnut, Çäkçäk, Corn dog, Fried dough | ||
How to make funnel cakes
Funnel cake is a regional food popular in North America at carnivals, fairs, sporting events, and seaside resorts.
Contents
Easy pancake mix funnel cakes
History
The concept of the funnel cake dates back to the early medieval Arabic and Persian worlds, where similar yeast-risen dishes were first prepared and later spread to Europe. German immigrants brought the yeast dish to America, originally calling it "drechter kuche", and around 1879 developed the baking powder version along with its new name, funnel cake.
Preparation
Funnel cakes are made by pouring batter into hot cooking oil in a circular pattern and deep frying the overlapping mass until golden-brown. The batter is commonly poured through a funnel creating its texture and giving its name. When made at concession stands, a pitcher with an integral funnel spout is employed. Alton Brown recommends they be baked with choux pastry, which expands from steam produced by its high water content.
Funnel cakes are typically served plain with powdered sugar, but can also be served with jam/jelly, cinnamon, chocolate, fresh fruit, or other toppings.
They are similar in recipe to angel wings, the difference being the density of the mix. The dough for angel wings is dense enough to be cut into shapes and dropped into the oil by hand.
Europe
In south German cuisine the equivalent is called Strauben or Strieble and is made and served similarly. In Finnish cuisine the analogous tippaleipä is traditionally served at May Day (Vappu) celebrations. In Lithuania it is called skruzdėlynas, which literal translation is the ant nest, normally it is made at early spring to empty stock of last year honey and make more space for the new one and at the first harvest of honey.
Asia
In the Indian subcontinent a similar dessert, with a crystallized sugary exterior coating, is called jalebi; in Iran this is known as zulbia and is a popular dessert. These differ from funnel cake in using no baking powder, which results in a somewhat chewy texture.
North America
In North America, funnel cakes were originally associated with the Pennsylvania Dutch region.