Funnel cake topped with powdered coconut sugar.
Funnel Cake! When was the last time you had some of that? Or have you have you ever had it? It is very good. What is it? Similar to a doughnut, funnel cake is a batter that is “funneled” or poured through a funnel into hot oil. Once cooked, it is most often served with powdered sugar. (Although I have also seen it served with other toppings and even seen it served with ice cream on top!) I grew up loving this Pennsylvania Dutch food. We would only get it at the local fairs or amusement parks. Trust me, the picture, especially mine, doesn’t do them justice! You just have to try!
The other night my family made a bunch of these for them, homemade. I wanted one too since I haven’t had one in years but didn’t want to make too many! They taste best fresh. Besides, I didn’t need loads of funnel cakes leftover for me to eat.
Since I was making them for me, I wanted to make them as healthy as possible (if that’s even possible!). So, I used whole grain flours and fried them in the healthiest oil around! Coconut oil! Coconut oil is so good for you and added a great flavor to them. I found them to be savory if eaten plain and sweet if topped with powdered coconut sugar. I enjoyed them both ways.
Since I used so much healthy coconut oil in this recipe (and you can make this either sweet or savory, I decided to submit it to the SOS Kitchen Challenge for this month. Check it out and learn why coconut oil is so good for you!
PS. Please forgive my photography. My camera was on it’s last final breath and is now dead. Camera shopping (hopefully for a DSLR!) is on the list of things to do! Any suggestions?
Funnel Cakes (Single Serving)
Yields: One large or two small (Double, triple, etc. as needed)
Ingredients:
**2 T. egg (to do this whisk an egg together, measure out 2T, which is 1/2 egg)
5 T. almond milk (or other dairy or non-dairy milk)
7 T. flour (for GF, do as I did, 1/4 c. sorghum + 3 T. tapioca starch)
1/4 t. baking powder
1 t. agave nectar
pinch salt
1/8 t. xanthan gum
coconut oil—3/4 c. or enough to fill up at least an inch in your pan
Directions:
Whisk together the egg, almond milk, and agave. Add flour, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Mix. Scoop out coconut oil and start heating it in a skillet or deep fryer to about 375*F. Place thumb over bottom opening of funnel. Pour your batter in. (It helps to have some one help you do this.) Remove thumb and drop into hot oil using a circular motion to form spirals for each cake. Remove when golden brown (mine where a little over done, but still tasty.) While cake is still warm, sprinkle with ***powdered coconut sugar, serve plain, or top with ice-cream for a very decadent dessert.
**To make vegan, use 1 T. ground flaxseed mixed with 3 T. warm water. Measure out two tablespoons for use in the recipe and save other two for another use. Also, increase total baking powder to 1/2 t.
***I made mine by just whirling coconut sugar in my Blend-tec blender. For a little more detailed instructions, see Lexie's post here.
Notes for mostly Ari: When I make this again, I want to increase the baking powder and see if it gets a little puffier! If you try this, let me know how it works. I’d start with 1/4 t. or less.
It’s been nice to have sometime to have sometime to think and spend time with family and decide what really matters and what I really want in life. As a result, I can’t promise I will blog as often as I used to, but I will try to post more than I have been of late. 
Thus, these cookies were born! 
They even taste very similar to peanut butter! 
