The flavor was good, really spicy, which we like, but, overall, I wasn't pleased with the recipe. The main problem was that the batter was too thin and fell off the wings during baking, which made the presentation less than the best. Here it is:
If I decided to make a version of this dish again, I'd make some modifications.
If I wanted battered cauliflower, I'd choose a different basic batter recipe, and I'd deep fry the florets instead of baking them. We don't eat fried foods very often, so I have no problem with the occasional deep-fried item, properly drained. After draining, I'd toss the florets in the hot sauce and serve.
I'm not sure battering and frying is necessary. I also think it'd be good to toss the florets in olive oil and the spices called for in this recipe (garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper) and roast them at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes on an oiled baking sheet. I'd remove them, toss them in the hot sauce, and return them to the oven for another 10 minutes.
My Tip: The trick to roasted cauliflower is to cut the florets in such a way as to create as many flat surfaces as possible. It's the contact of the flat floret surface and the hot pan that creates a nice golden roast.
Here's the recipe in case you want to give it a try. At the bottom, I've added a couple of my notes on the preparation. I'll update you if I try either or both of the modifications I've outlined above. We love cauliflower, and we liked the spicy flavor of these, just not the consistency of the batter.
Baked Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
(From Gimme Delicious)
1 head of cauliflower
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. milk
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 c. Frank's red hot sauce
1 T. butter
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 400-425 F depending on your oven.
Wash and cut cauliflower head into bite-sized pieces/florets.
Mix the milk/water/flour and spices in a medium mixing bowl. Mix until the batter is thick and is able to coat the cauliflower without dripping. Dip the cauliflower in the batter. Shake off excess batter before placing cauliflower on the baking sheet. Lay the cauliflower single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown, flipping the florets over halfway through to get all sides golden brown and crispy.
In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butter and mix in hot sauce. Remove from the heat just as it starts to melt. Stir together and set aside.
Remove cauliflower from oven and put into a mixing bowl with the wing sauce and toss to coat evenly. Return cauliflower to baking sheet and bake in the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until desired crispness. Serve with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.
Notes: I added one-fourth cup additional flour to the batter, and it was still too thin. I used bottled Ken’s Blue Cheese Dressing thinned with white wine vinegar until I got the consistency I wanted. The vinegar gave it a nice tang.
