I'd never heard of these before finding them on AOL.
I've since heard they're commonly sold at country
fairs and such. I made them a few weeks ago and,
though I'd only fried once in my life before, they
were easy (I used only about 1 inch oil in a saucepan),
fun and delicious with powdered sugar on them. I got
inspired and bought a candy funnel I'd seen (by Wilton,
for which I do not work - was a joke ;)) that has
a lever to stop the flow of candy/batter. I haven't
used it for these cakes yet but I think I'd make these
for an entertaining bake sale item made on the spot.
.
Yesterday I thought of them again and bought a rosette/
timbale tool set ... same idea, just more consistent
look (okay, it has a thing to make little heart cups
in it..I was a sucker). The truth is, making the
patterns with the batter and funnel is fun and always
different. You can make letters, etc., depending
on how coordinated you are with the funnel. This is
an extremely inexpensive project and I would think
it would be very lucrative for a bake sale.
.
Probably someone at your church has a rosette/timbale
set gathering dust somewhere (I got mine at Lechter's
for $17). What I'd do with that at a bake sale is
to make not only the pretty cookie/cake rosettes but
the "cups" to hold a bit of fresh fruit. That could
bring in a *lot* of $, I'd think.
.
As for children's items, there are SO many ideas in
books and the pictures really help inspire. If you
have a library nearby, go take a look because you can
put popsicle sticks (sold by the thousand for about
$5 in craft stores) into cookies, Rice Krispie,
popcorn balls, etc. with simple decorations that are
cute. I just saw making eyes out of red and white
mints with that striped pattern like spokes .. looks
like crazy eyes and kids would love that.
.
A really cute idea I saw in an old BH&G book was to take
a large cookie, about 3-4" dia., and attach with frosting
animal crackers standing up in circle like a merry-go-round
around the perimeter of the cookie. In the center was
a marshmallow, top half cut in spoke fashion (could dip
these in milk, then colored sugar to be fancy and colorful),
with a birthday candle in the middle of the marshmallow.
I think this would be very appealing to the eye as is, plus
you could make an entertainment event out of it by lighting
the candle and letting the child make a wish and blow it out,
and I think it would fetch a high price for the bake sale
as well.
.
This recipe is formatted crazily even as I see it and I don't
have the patience to re-do every line right now, sorry. If it
appeals to you, you will see where to press return to make it
easier to read.
.
Have fun!
.
Janet.
.
Funnel Cakes This recipe was posted in the Cooking Club Cook Book by Rottiff Servings: 6 (makes 24-30 cakes) 1 Egg, beaten 2/3 c Milk 1 1/4 c Flour 2 tbs. Sugar 1 tsp. Baking powder 1/4 tsp. Salt Beat milk with egg. Blend dry ingredients and gradually add the milk mixture,beating constantly until batter is smooth. Holding your finger over bottom of afunnel having a 3/8 to 1/2 inch hole, fill funnel with batter. Holding funnel asnear surface of fat as possible, remove finger and drop batter into deep fatheated to 375 using a circular movement from center outward to form a spiralcake about 3" in diameter. Immediately replace finger on bottom of funnel andthen form other cakes (as many as will float uncrowded). Fry until cakes arepuffy and golden brown, turning once. Remove cakes with a slotted spoon toabsorbent paper to drain. Sift confectioners' sugar lightly over cakes or drizzlewith molasses and serve at once. 2 - 2-1/2 dozen cakes