My kids discovered these at a night market and came home describing them with reverence. They’re about a hundred times easier than they look.
The fun part is the assembly line: skewer, dip, roll in panko, fry until the color of an autumn leaf. Then the sugar roll.
Use a thermometer for the oil. I once ‘eyeballed it’ and burned six in a row while my kids watched in silence.
Keep the oil at 350°F. My ‘eyeballing it’ era ended in tragedy.
Ingredients
- 2.0 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.0 packet instant yeast (2¼ tsp)
- 3.0 tbsp sugar
- 1.0 cup warm milk
- 1.0 egg
- ½ tsp salt
- 6.0 mozzarella string cheese sticks
- 3.0 hot dogs, halved (optional)
- 2.0 cups panko breadcrumbs
- granulated sugar, for rolling
- ketchup & mustard
- neutral oil, for frying
Method
- Mix the batter. Whisk dry, add milk and egg into a thick sticky batter. Rise 1 hour.
- Skewer the filling. Thread cheese (and hot dog); freeze 15 minutes.
- Set up your line. Batter, panko, tray. Heat oil to 350°F.
- Coat. Dip in batter, roll firmly in panko.
- Fry. 3–4 minutes until deep golden. Drain on a rack.
- Sugar & drizzle. Roll in sugar, zigzag with ketchup and mustard, serve immediately.
Notes
Batter can be refrigerated overnight for more flavor. Reheat in an air fryer, not the microwave.
Nutrition
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 446 | 12g | 58g | 18g |
FAQ
Yeast or baking powder?
Yeast gives the authentic airy coating. Baking powder is faster but less authentic.
My coating fell off in the oil.
Panko wasn’t pressed on firmly, or oil was too cool. Press hard and check 350°F.
Can I bake instead of fry?
400°F for 15–18 minutes with oil spray, but you lose crunch. Air fryer at 390°F is a middle ground.