Fair foods you can make at home

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Step right up! Fill your kitchen with the sweet and smoky smells of fair food this fall.

CORN DOGS

MAKES 12–16

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup sugar

½ tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon cayenne

¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons honey

1 large egg

1–2 packages hot dogs

Wooden skewers

1 quart canola oil, for frying

In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, cayenne, black pepper and salt. In a small- to medium-size bowl, combine milk, honey and egg. Add wet ingredients to dry and thoroughly combine. Pour mixture into a tall, wide container, such as a 16-ounce takeout plastic cup.

Pat dry the hot dogs, and insert skewers. Heat oil in Dutch oven to 350 F. Make sure skewered hot dogs can fit flat into your Dutch oven. 

Roll hot dogs in batter until well-coated and carefully drop into hot oil. Cook 2–3 minutes until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels.

Caveman pops (roasted smoked turkey legs)

Makes 4

4 smoked turkey legs

Low-sodium all-purpose seasoning or BBQ rub

Barbecue sauce, optional

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a half sheet pan or baking sheet with foil and insert a cooking rack. Rinse turkey legs with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with rub.

Place turkey legs on rack and cook until reaching an internal temperature of 165 F, or approximately 35 minutes. About two minutes before the end of the cooking time, brush on some barbecue sauce and continue to cook until the sauce becomes slightly crusted. To serve, wrap the bottom of the turkey leg with foil wrap.

Elephant ears

Makes 8

3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling out

5 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 ½ cups whole milk

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Canola oil, for frying

In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter and milk, while stirring, until a slightly sticky dough is formed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon and remaining sugar. Set aside.

Dust a clean work surface with flour. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts and roll into balls. Roll the balls in the flour to lightly coat. Using a rolling pin, flatten dough balls into circles or disks, approximately ¼ inch thick. If not frying immediately, place parchment paper between each rolled-out circle and set aside.

In a Dutch oven, add 2 to 3 inches of oil. Bring temperature to 350 F. (Use a candy thermometer to monitor oil temperature.) Carefully place ears, one at a time, into the hot oil and fry 1 to 2 minutes on each side until lightly golden brown.

Place elephant ears on a large paper towel-lined sheet pan and sprinkle immediately with cinnamon sugar. Repeat until all ears are cooked.

Easiest caramel apples

Makes 10 depending on size

10 tart apples (Granny Smith, Pink Lady or Honeycrisp)

Skewers or popsicle sticks

22 ounces caramels

4 tablespoons heavy cream

Pinch kosher salt

Chopped pecans or peanuts

Line a baking sheet with silicone pad or parchment paper. Prepare apples (see Tips/Techniques), insert skewers and place on baking sheet. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, add caramels, cream and salt, and microwave for a few minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until caramel is smooth. Alternately, place bowl with caramels over a double-boiler, stirring occasionally until melted. Be sure not to allow water to get in the bowl.

Roll apples in caramel, making sure to coat almost to the top of each apple. Allow excess to drop back into the bowl. Scrape off the bottom of the apple against the side of the bowl so caramel does not pool at the bottom as apples rest and cool on the parchment or silicone pad. Immediately after dipping apple in caramel, dip in nuts. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or until caramel is set.

Chef’s tips: Prepping apples for best results:

  • Remove wax from store-bought apples by dipping apples in hot water for a few seconds, then rubbing them with a towel
  • Dry apples thoroughly
  • Remove stems before inserting apple skewers or sticks
  • Refrigerate apples after dipping into the caramel

If air bubbles start to form in the caramel or if it gets too thick, rewarm it slightly. If it is too runny, let it cool slightly before dipping.