Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry cream of wheat (optional- can substitute more corn meal)
1/4 cup grits or stone ground corn meal
1 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup maple sugar (use cane sugar if you don't have granulated maple sugar)
1 1/2 lb sweet potato, baked until soft, flesh scooped out and mashed (about 1 3/4 cups of mash)
1 to 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 egg
4 tbs corn starch for dredging
About 16 regular sized hot dogs
Peanut oil (or your favorite high-heat oil) for deep frying
16 bamboo or wooden corn dog sticks (can use skewers cut to 6 or 7 inch lengths)
For the dipping sauce, combine:
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
Several tablespoons of Siracha Hot Chili Sauce
Method:
Combine or sift together the dry ingredients. Set aside. In a stand mixer, whisk the mashed sweet potato, buttermilk, and egg until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and combine, but do not over-mix. The batter should be thick but loose enough to be slightly pourable. Add more buttermilk a little at a time if it is too dry. Let the batter rest while you assemble the hot dogs.
Heat enough oil in a deep, wide saucepan for deep frying the corn dogs. The oil will need to reach 375 degrees before frying.
Insert sticks into the ends of the hot dogs, pushing them in about half of the length of the hot dog. Place a few tablespoons of corn starch on a plate, then roll the hot dogs in the corn starch, dusting off the excess.
Fill a glass nearly to the top with batter. When the oil is up to temperature, dip the hot dogs into the cup of batter until they are coated. Place the corn dogs into the hot oil and fry until dark golden brown. Because of the sugars in the sweet potato and the batter, the breading will fry darker than typical cornbread batter.
Roll corn dogs in the hot oil at least once to make sure all sides cook evenly. When the batter is fully cooked, carefully remove them from the oil with tongs and place on absorbent paper towel. Serve hot.
When all of the corn dogs are finished cooking, any remaining batter can be made into doughnuts by dropping a teaspoon at a time into the hot oil. Scoop the cooked doughnuts out of the hot oil with a slotted spoon and place on absorbent paper towel. Sprinkle with sugar immediately.
