Sage Funnel Cake with Clothbound Cheddar

METHOD:

For the Buttermilk Fig Semifreddo:

Whip the cream to stiff peaks and set aside. Whisk the egg yolks, salt, PreGel Fig Arabeschi, honey, buttermilk, and mustard powder over a double boiler until very hot and foaming. Whisk to cool slightly before folding in the whipped cream. Scoop the mixture into bar molds and freeze.

For the Sage Funnel Cake:

Preheat frying oil to 350F and preheat the oven to 350F. Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Prep until smooth. Pipe into the oil to form a funnel cake, flipping once and frying until golden brown. Drain on dry paper towel. Sprinkle with a generous amount of Wisconsin clothbound cheddar. Put the funnel cakes into the preheated oven to melt the cheese.

For the Sage Cotton Candy:

Combine the sugar and sage leaves in the Vita-Prep and blend until the sage is crumbled. Sift through fine mesh onto parchment. Allow this to dry completely and re-sift. Spin in a Koerner cotton candy machine using manufacturer’s instructions.

For the Caramel Apples:

Scoop the apples with a melon baller to make spheres. Combine the sugar with a little water in a sauté pan and heat to form a soft caramel. Toss in the apple spheres. Deglaze the pan with the cider, tossing to melt all the sugar and coat the apples. Cook until the apples are tender and finish by adding the apple cider vinegar.

To Assemble and Serve:

Plate the funnel cake, add a bar of semifreddo and plate the caramel apples. Garnish the plate with the sage cotton candy.