Instructions

• Pour vegetable oil or shortening into a stockpot, Dutch oven, or 12-inch frying pan to a depth of at least 3 inches. Fit a deep-fry or candy thermometer to the pot and heat the oil over medium-high until it reaches 375°F; keep it at 375°F for frying.
• While the oil heats, whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl: 2½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 tablespoons sugar, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg.
• In a separate medium bowl, whisk 2 eggs until foamy. Add ½ cup heavy whipping cream, 1½ cups whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4 tablespoons melted salted butter, and 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil; whisk until combined.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined and smooth. Do not overmix.
• When the oil is at 375°F, use a tablespoon (or 2 tablespoons for larger bites) to drop dollops of batter into the hot oil, one at a time. Do not overcrowd the pot; fry in batches so pieces have room to puff and brown.
• Fry the batter balls until the bottom is golden brown, then use a slotted spoon to flip each bite and brown the other side. Fry until both sides are golden brown.
• Remove the cooked funnel cake bites with a slotted spoon and let them drain briefly in the pot, then transfer to paper towels to absorb excess oil.
• Maintain the oil temperature at 375°F between batches and continue frying until all the batter is used.
• Let the funnel cake bites cool slightly, dust with powdered sugar, and serve immediately.