Fair Recipes: Classic Corn Dogs, Deep-Fried Snickers

If you can't make it to the St. Charles County Fair to sample the culinary delights and find yourself craving a corn dog or a plateful of funnel cake, relax. Fair food is easy to make. Here’s a few of my favorite recipes to try for fun, including a low-fat dog-on-a-stick recipe courtesy of Pillsbury that you can serve all summer long.

Classic Midway Corn Dogs 

• 1 quart oil for deep frying
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-pound package hot dogs (10 dogs)
• wooden sticks

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center of flour mixture and pour in the egg, buttermilk, and baking soda. Mix until everything is smooth and well blended.

Pat the hot dogs dry with paper towels. Insert wooden sticks into the ends. Dip the hot dogs in the batter one at a time, shaking off the excess. Deep-fry a few at a time in the hot oil until they are as brown as you like them. Drain on paper towels. Serve with a yellow salad mustard. Makes 10 corn dogs.

The following is a friendlier, lower fat alternative to the deep-fried corn dog from Pillsbury’s test kitchens.

Deep-Fried Snickers

• 4 large Snickers bars
• 4 wooded skewers
• 1 cup self-rising flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 egg
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• Powdered sugar

Push each Snickers bar onto a skewer or popsicle stick and freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight. Whisk the flour, milk and egg together to make a pancake like batter). Heat 4 to 6 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pot until to 350 degrees. 

Hold the Snickers by the skewer and dip into the batter, turning to coat. Carefully place the Snickers in the hot oil (skewers and all); fry, turning as needed, until browned and crisp 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Use tongs to remove each bar by the stick; drain on paper towels or a rack and serve warm. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Serves 4.

Cresent Dog on a Stick

• 8 hot dogs
• 4 slices (3/4-ounce each) American cheese, cut into 6 strips.
• 1 (8 oz) can Pillsbury refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 8 wooden corn dog sticks

Heat oven to 375°F. Slit hot dogs to within 1/2 inch of ends; insert 3 strips of cheese into each slit. Separate dough into triangles. Wrap dough triangle around each hot dog. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, cheese side up. Bake at 375° for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown; remove and insert 1 stick in each crescent dog. Makes 4–8 servings.

County Fair Funnel Cakes

• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cups milk
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• dash of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking power
• powdered sugar

In a deep skillet, heat about two cups of oil over a medium high heat. Beat egg and milk together, then whisk in flour and salt. Using a funnel to drop batter into hot oil. You can also use a plastic bag to pour batter into hot oil by cutting off a corner of the bag and squeezing batter into the oil. Once batter is snaked (poured) into the pan, fry until golden brown on each side. Remove and drain on paper towels, sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve. Makes 4 small or 2 large funnel cakes.