These fried Twinkies are also full of bourbon
Drew Swantak
How do you improve upon quintessential fried fair food? You douse it in booze, of course! Man that was a dumb question. Even people who turn up their noses at Twinkies may not admit it, but they will indeed love them, and then admit it, because they just ate a few shots of bourbon.
The Twinkie's spongy cake slurps up alcohol faster than Rip Torn locked in a liquor store, and, I assure you, not one ounce of it gets burned off.
I strongly recommend you eat it right out of the fryer before the cream gets a chance to melt -- or wait and let the cream ooze into the warm cake. Either way, you have won.
Fried Bourbon-Soaked Twinkies Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Yield: 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 6 Hostess Twinkies
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) bourbon
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 quart vegetable oil, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
- 1 cup flour, plus 6 tablespoons, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
- Place a Twinkie in a shallow bowl, and drizzle 1 tablespoon of bourbon all over. Make sure it soaks up every last drop, then transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with remaining Twinkies. Place the sheet of Twinkies in the freezer for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Heat 1 quart of oil in a fryer or large, heavy pot until it reaches 375°F.
- Combine milk, vinegar, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a liquid measuring cup.
- Whisk together 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
- Whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
- Put remaining flour in a shallow dish and dredge a Twinkie in it, coating all surfaces. Insert a short wooden skewer into the middle. Holding onto the skewer, dip the Twinkie into the batter, fully coating it and letting excess drip off. Submerge Twinkie in hot oil for a few seconds, and let go of the skewer. Let it fry for 2 minutes, then flip it and fry for another 2 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack; remove the skewer. Depending on the size of your pot, you can cook 2-3 at a time, just be sure it doesn't reduce the temperature of the oil too much.
Cheers!