Funnel cake with poached cherry compote recipe

Ingredients

• 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• Poached Cherry Compote

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, and salt. In a separate large bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Pour three-fourths of the liquid ingredients into the sifted dry ingredients and slowly whisk them together. When the batter is smooth, add in the remaining liquid. Let the batter rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes and as long as 4 hours, if you’re not yet ready to fry.
2. Heat at least 2 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot fitted with a deep-fry thermometer until the oil reaches 350°F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with paper towels.
3. Fill a disposable pastry bag halfway with batter. Pinch the tip between your fingers and cut an opening about ¼ inch in diameter (a squeeze bottle with a ¼-inch tip can also be used here). Using tongs, put a 4-inch round metal ring mold in the hot oil. Squirt the funnel cake batter into the mold in a thick, even stream, making a crosshatch pattern. As soon as the batter coheres into a latticed form, 10 to 20 seconds, carefully move the ring to an empty spot in the pot and begin forming your next cake. Fry each cake for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden brown all over. Drain on the paper-towel-lined baking sheet (see more information about frying). Repeat until the remaining batter is spent, frying no more than three funnel cakes at one time so as not to crowd the pot.
4. Dust the cakes with confectioners’ sugar while still hot, and serve them immediately alongside the poached cherry compote.
Poached Cherry Compote
5. Verjus is a tart liquid made by pressing unripe grapes, and it functions as an alternative to vinegar or wine. It can be found in specialty food or gourmet stores. Makes: ¾ cu Ingredients:
   • ¼ vanilla bean
   • ½ cup sugar
   • ½ cup red verjus (white verjus or red wine may also be used)
   • Pinch of salt
   • 1 cup dried cherries
   Directions:
   1. Split open the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into a medium bowl, dropping the bean into the bowl as well. Add the sugar and mix the bean, seeds, and sugar together until well combined. Put the vanilla sugar in a medium saucepan and add the verjus, salt, and ½ cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 3 to 5 minutes. Add the dried cherries, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cherries are tender. Remove the pan from the heat, let cool, and strain the cherries, discarding the vanilla bean. Reserve the liquid.Put the
   2. cherries and ¼ cup of the liquid in the bowl of a food processer or blender and process to your desired consistency, adding more liquid as necessary. (I like this compote a little bit chunky, but you can process it to as smooth as you like.) Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.