Marionberries boast a sweet-tart flavor similar to blackberries, and are grown almost exclusively in Oregon where they're prized as a local specialty. Here, we use a marrionberry habanero jelly to spice up tradional funnel cakes—drizzle on as much as you like and savor the sweet and spicy goodness! 

Preparation

Combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Separately, whip the egg whites and vanilla together to form stiff peaks.

Mix together buttermilk and ¼ cup marionberry habanero jelly. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and incorporate the melted butter. Fold in the whipped egg whites.

Heat oil to 350°F.

Transfer the batter into a squeeze bottle. Squeeze the batter into the hot oil in a criss-cross pattern to make the funnel cake. The cake will sink, then float to the surface. Fry for 1 minute, and then flip over and fry for 30 more seconds until golden brown.

Drain funnel cake on a paper towel, then dust with powdered sugar. Thin remaining jelly with the water, then drizzle on top.

Note: To make uniform funnel cakes, use a narrow sauce pot approximately 5–6 inches wide, filled about 3 inches deep with oil, with an additional 3 inches of space at the top. When adding the batter, fill the entire surface of the pot so the funnel cake will form to its shape.