Today is National Pastry Day. Some people because of their diets have come to loathe and detest pastries, but I must ask what have they ever done to you? I mean honestly who doesn’t like to hit up the Summer fair and get themselves a Funnel Cake or some sort of oversized sweet treat that should suffice any carb cravings for the year. This recipe resembles a Funnel Cake to be honest you just didn’t have the joy of paying $11.00 for it.
I know we just had Thanksgiving and many of us are trying to eat light for the remainder of the year, well if that is the case, then this recipe isn’t for you, at least not right now it isn’t (but save it for later.)
This recipe pulls together in less than 30 minutes, is easy to clean up and is the perfect after dinner treat to snack on while consuming strong libations such as a Whiskey neat or a traditional High Ball.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
For the Syrup:
2 cups dry red wine
¾ cup sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
2 strips orange zest
1 bay leaf
For the Pastries:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Grated zest of 2 oranges
2 TBS fresh orange juice
Vegetable oil, for frying Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
1 cup pomegranate seeds
Directions:
Make the syrup:
Bring the wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, orange zest and bay leaf to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring; cook until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes.
Let cool completely.
Discard the bay leaf.
Make the pastries:
Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Add 1/2 cup water, the egg, orange zest and juice and whisk until just combined.
Transfer the batter to a plastic squeeze bottle.
Heat 1 1/2 inches vegetable oil in a shallow pot over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 380 degrees F.
Squeeze the batter into the oil into 2-inch rounds; fry, turning once, until puffed and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Drain on paper towels.
Dust with confectioners' sugar and top with pomegranate seeds and wine syrup.
