Name: Plum and custard fritters
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: For deep-frying: vegetable oil; 180 gm plain flour; 2 tsp caster sugar; 2 eggs, separated; 180 ml beer, at room temperature (lager or wheat beer ideally); 60 gm unsalted butter, melted; 4 medium plums, halved and stones removed; To serve: icing sugar; Vanilla custard; 600 ml milk; 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways; 140 gm caster sugar; 120 gm plain flour; 60 gm butter, diced; 90 gm egg yolk (about 5 yolks)

Plum and custard fritters

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for plum and custard fritters.

Serves 8

Prep

40M

Cook

25M

Total

1H 5M

Ingredients

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

180 gm plain flour

2 tsp caster sugar

2 eggs, separated

180 ml beer, at room temperature (lager or wheat beer ideally)

60 gm unsalted butter, melted

4 medium plums, halved and stones removed

To serve: icing sugar

Vanilla custard

600 ml milk

1 vanilla bean, split lengthways

140 gm caster sugar

120 gm plain flour

60 gm butter, diced

90 gm egg yolk (about 5 yolks)

Method

Main

1.For vanilla custard, bring milk, vanilla bean and 40gm of sugar to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Place flour, butter and remaining sugar in a bowl and, using fingertips, rub mixture together until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Whisk in milk mixture until smooth, return to pan and continue stirring mixture over low-medium heat until thick and flour cooks out (5-6 minutes). Remove from heat, discard vanilla bean, then whisk in yolks, cover directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.

2.Heat vegetable oil in a large deep saucepan or deep-fryer to 170C. In a large bowl combine flour and sugar, make a well in centre, add yolks and beer and whisk to combine, then stir in butter. In a separate bowl whisk eggwhites to soft peaks and gently fold into batter.

3.Mould custard around each plum half, dip into batter and deep-fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown (3-4 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit). Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot dusted with icing sugar.