Rosettes (or Funnel cakes?)

I found a rosette/timbale set at the thrift store the other day! I was so excited, because my grandmother used to make rosette cookies every Christmas (although we called them funnel cakes...), so now I can make them.
I decided to try the savory "party cracker" recipe, with tasty results. These things are deep fried and just terrible for you, but they are soooo good. They kind of remind me of tempura batter, or when they are sweetened, like thin elephant ears (or "beaver tails" if you Canadian).

Recipe for Savory Rosette Crackers

Ingredients:
Seasoning:
1 tsp garlic, onion, or celery salt
OR
1/4 tsp tandoori seasoning and
1/2 tsp sumac and
1/4 tsp mustard powder

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 cup white flour

Grated cheese for topping (parmesan is good)
Enough oil to fill up fryer or saucepan 2" deep.

Special equipment: candy thermometer, rosette molds

Heat oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit*. On my oven, I set the heat right below medium.

Combine seasoning and all other ingredients in a bowl. Try to stir out all the lumps.

When the oil has reached the right temperature, submerge the rosette mold(s) in the oil to heat them up. If you're using a pot for frying, you can set a mixing spoon or spatula across the rim to balance your rosette wand (see image), otherwise you'll have to hold it the entire time.

Dip the mold about half its depth into the batter and lightly shake the excess from the mold. Completely submerge the mold in the hot oil until the bubbling slows down and the cracker is a golden brown.

Remember that a lot of oil will be in the cracker, so turn it upside-down when you lift it out of the oil and empty out the excess.

Be sure to keep a long handled instrument like a fork or chopstick handy so you can pick out crackers that slip off the mold and fall into the hot oil! Pick these out quickly, or they will burn. Once again, turn them upside down to empty out the excess oil.
Move the cracker to a cooling rack or paper towel and sprinkle on the cheese.

These crackers cool quickly, so you can pick them up after sprinkling them with cheese and shake off the excess. If you want to save the cheese, work on a paper towel or piece of tissue paper.
The oil will absorb into the paper, and then you can funnel the excess cheese into a bowl for reuse.

Serve the crackers ASAP, because they will get soft and spongy if you wait to long. If you have to make them ahead of time, you can re-crispify them in a 300 degree oven for 3-5 minutes. To store, keep in an airtight container, stacking crackers no more than 3 deep. They can be frozen.

Troubleshooting:
If the batter keeps falling off the molds, your oil is probably too hot.
You can cool the iron off a little bit, or quickly cool your cooking oil by submerging your pan in cool water. Don't get any water in the oil, however, because it will splatter and burn!

If you're still having problems with the batter not sticking, you can simply peel off the batter bits with a spoon and try again.

The partially solidified batter bits will mix back into the batter, but you should keep from mixing it back in more than a few times. The more solidified batter you mix into the regular batter, the lumpier your batter will become.

If your cookies aren't crispy enough, it means your batter needs more liquid. Add more liquid a few tablespoons at a time to achieve the right consistency.


*The oil will cool when you add batter, and the temperature will drop quite a bit as you work. After making the first few crackers, you may want to turn the heat up on your oil slightly, or just take a break and let the oil reheat.