Fair Funnel Cakes

It wouldn’t be a fair without funnel cakes. During our Virtual Fair, we’ll be sharing our favorite fair foods. Also, don’t forget to enter our fair contests!

Ingredients

• 1 egg

• ⅔ cup milk

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons white sugar

• 1 ⅓ cups sifted all-purpose flour

• ¾ teaspoon baking powder

• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying

• ¼ cup confectioners' sugar for dusting

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Directions

• Step 1

  Beat egg. Mix in milk. Sift flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder; beat into egg mixture until smooth.

• Step 2

  Pour oil into a heavy pan until it is 1 inch deep. Heat to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

• Step 3

  Pour batter through funnel into oil with a circular motion to form a spiral. Fry until lightly brown; turn over to brown the other side. Cook to golden brown, and remove to drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar while still warm.

Coconut-Lime Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sugar

• 1 cup butter

• 4 eggs

• 1 tablespoon coconut extract

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 cup buttermilk

• ½ cup fresh lime juice

• 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

• 2 tablespoons freshly grated lime zest

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 36 cupcake cups with paper liners.

• Step 2

  Beat sugar and butter together in the bowl of an electric stand mixer until fluffy, about 10 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, adding coconut extract and vanilla extract with the last egg.

• Step 3

  Combine flour, 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and nutmeg in another bowl. Beat into the egg mixture until thoroughly combined; beat in buttermilk and lime juice. Stir in coconut and lime zest.

• Step 4

  Fill each of the prepared cupcake cups with about 1/4 cup of batter using a large cookie scoop.

• Step 5

  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

Italian Butter Cookies

Traditional Italian-American bakery-style butter cookies that will make you feel like you bought them from your favorite local bakery in New York! Fill them with raspberry or apricot preserves, or chocolate, or dip one side in chocolate and cover with sprinkles--or do both!

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening

• 4 ounces almond paste

• 2 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

3. Combine butter, sugar, and shortening in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Mix in almond paste until thoroughly combined. Add eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and almond extract. Reduce the mixing speed to low and slowly add dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl once all dry ingredients are added, then mix on medium speed until evenly combined, about 30 seconds.

4. Fill a large piping bag with batter. Pipe evenly sized cookies onto an ungreased cookie sheet 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart, giving cookies space to puff slightly during baking.

5. Bake in the preheated oven, in batches if necessary, until bottom edges are slightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Biscotti Toscani

These twice baked cookies have a delicate flavor, great with vanilla ice-cream, tea, frozen yogurt, or cappuccino.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup butter

• ¾ cup white sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

• 2 teaspoons orange zest

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

• ½ cup toasted almond pieces

Directions

• Step 1

  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a large baking sheet.

• Step 2

  In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla, almond extract, and zest. Combine flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in almonds. Divide dough into two pieces. Form into long flat loaves about 1/2 inch tall and 12 inches long. Place the loaves 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.

• Step 3

  Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until a light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes.

• Step 4

  With a serrated knife, cut diagonally into slices about 1/2 inch thick. Lay the slices flat on the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, turning over once. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

• Step 5

  Place chocolate chips into a small, microwave-safe bowl. Melt chocolate in the microwave, stirring every 20 to 30 seconds until smooth. Use a spatula to spread chocolate onto one side of each cookie. Let stand at room temperature until set. Store biscotti at room temperature in an airtight container.

Banana Sour Cream Bread

I know, you're probably thinking, “Oh no! Another banana bread recipe!” But this one is a little different: the sour cream makes this one so moist it melts in your mouth. The flavor is just wonderful! This one is great for gift giving and holidays. Loaves freeze well.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 3/4 cup butter

• 3 cups white sugar

• 3 eggs

• 6 very ripe bananas, mashed

• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 teaspoons baking soda

• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300F. Grease four 7x3 inch loaf pans.

2. In a small bowl, stir together 1/4 cup white sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.

3. Dust pans lightly with cinnamon and sugar mixture.

4. In a large bowl, cream butter and 3 cups sugar.

5. Mix in eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon.

6. Mix in salt, baking soda and flour. Stir in nuts. Divide into prepared pans.

7. Bake for 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Sugar Coated Pecans

These sweet pecans are wonderful snacks for any occasion.

Ingredients

• 1 egg white

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1 pound pecan halves

• 1 cup white sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Grease one baking sheet.

2. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white and water until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.

3. Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.

4. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes.