Name: Pear and bay leaf fritters with moscatel batter
Yield: 6
Ingredients: Fritters; For deep-frying: vegetable oil; 8 small fresh bay leaves; 4 small beurre bosc or corella pears, peeled, quartered with stem end intact and cored; 75 gm caster sugar combined with 1 tsp ground cinnamon (1/3 cup); To serve: ice-cream or double cream, optional; Moscatel batter; 200 gm plain flour (1 1/3 cups); 50 gm caster sugar; 1 lemon, finely grated rind; 225 ml milk; 100 ml moscatel or other sweet, fruity white wine; 2 eggwhites

The batter will absorb all the wonderful camphor flavours of the bay leaves, partnering beautifully with the sweetness of the pear, but the bay leaves should not be eaten.

Ingredients

Fritters

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

8 small fresh bay leaves

4 small beurre bosc or corella pears, peeled, quartered with stem end intact and cored

75 gm caster sugar combined with 1 tsp ground cinnamon (1/3 cup)

To serve: ice-cream or double cream, optional

Moscatel batter

200 gm plain flour (1 1/3 cups)

50 gm caster sugar

1 lemon, finely grated rind

225 ml milk

100 ml moscatel or other sweet, fruity white wine

2 eggwhites

Method

Main

1.For moscatel batter, process flour, sugar, lemon rind, milk and wine in a food processor until a thick batter forms, then transfer to a bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk eggwhites and a pinch of salt until soft peaks form, then fold gently into batter until just combined.

2.Heat oil to 180C in a large saucepan or deep-fryer. Dip bay leaves, one at a time, into batter, allowing excess to drip off, then deep-fry in hot oil for 30-40 seconds on each side or until golden. Drain on absorbent paper. Repeat with pear quarters and drain on absorbent paper.

3.Serve pear and bay leaf fritters sprinkled with sugar mixture, with ice-cream or double cream, if using, passed separately.