Jeff Mauro's Black Cherry Funnel Cake with Chocolate Chantilly Cream Beauty, as seen on The Kitchen, Season 37.
Recipe courtesy of Jeff Mauro

Black Cherry Funnel Cake with Chantilly Creme

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  • Level: Intermediate
  • Total: 1 hr 35 min (includes resting time)
  • Active: 1 hr 5 min
  • Yield: 6 funnel cakes
I used to boogie board SO hard on our yearly pilgrimages to the Jersey shore. The entire front of my robust trunk would be chafed to the hilt. You see, the Mauro fam didn’t grow up on the coasts, so the ocean surf was a delicacy to us. We ate up every rolling wave for hours a day on rented foam baby boards. This invariably made us quite hungry. Luckily, the boardwalk was RIGHT THERE. And you know what they say, “where there are boardwalks, there are two constants: Skee-Ball and funnel cakes.” And the Mauros EXCELLED AT BOTH.

Ingredients

Chantilly Creme:

Black Cherry Topping:

Funnel Cake:

Directions

Special equipment:
a deep-fry thermometer; a small tipped pastry bag or a squeeze bottle with a little bit of the tip cut off
  1. For the chantilly creme: In a cold mixing bowl, add the cream, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa and salt. Whip using a hand mixer until it holds medium peaks, 5 to 7 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until ready to serve.
  2. For the black cherry topping: Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/3 cup water in a bowl, then set aside. Place the cherries, granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice in a small pot and whisk until combined. Bring to a light simmer, then stir in the cornstarch mixture and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Adjust the sweetness with more sugar if necessary.
  3. For the funnel cake: Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, granulated sugar, almond extract, vanilla bean paste and eggs. Combine the two and whisk until smooth. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, heat 2 to 3inches canola oil in a Dutch oven to 350 degrees F. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
  5. Place about 1 large ladleful batter in a small tipped pastry bag or a squeeze bottle with a little bit of the tip of the bottle cut off. Carefully, swirl the batter directly into the oil in one large continuous form. Ya know, into a funnel cake shape.
  6. Fry until golden, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and place on a wire rack-lined sheet pan and keep warm in the oven. Make the remaining funnel cakes.
  7. Top with the cherries, chantilly creme and nice dusting of confectioners’ sugar.