Baked Mini Corn Dogs

Warm the milk to about 110 F in a saucepan or in the microwave, then pour it into a medium bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the warm milk and whisk to blend. Let the mixture sit for about 2 minutes to allow the yeast to dissolve.

Stir in the olive oil, brown sugar and cornmeal with a wooden spoon. Add the salt, baking soda, cayenne pepper and all but 1/4 cup of the flour. Stir well to make a dough that’s slightly sticky.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead, using the reserved 1/4 cup flour and adding more flour if needed, until the dough is smooth but still slightly tacky. This will take about 5 minutes.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat the top of dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; divide it into 16 pieces. With your palms, roll each piece of dough into a 10″ length.

Insert a wooden skewer about 1″ deep into a hot dog half. Wrap a piece of dough around the hot dog, tucking and pressing the edges to seal.

Remove the skewer and place the wrapped dog on the prepared baking pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and hot dog halves.

Brush the dough-wrapped dogs with the beaten egg. Then sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired. Bake at 425 F for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

If desired, re-insert the wooden skewers 1″ into each hot dog. Serve with your favorite toppings for dipping. Makes 16 mini corn dogs.

Adapted from Food Network Magazine.