Fannys' Fantastical Fried Fruity Fritters

Fanny decides to finish off this partwork with a deep-fried treat, well I think it is anyway. The only things I normally like that are fried are falafel, Arancini and mushrooms (I'm feeling slightly guilty here as I realise this list could go on...) and not really sweet stuff. Fanny gives these Pineapple Fritters several different names to try and entice me in - it's fair enough, Fritters only really appeal if they are mushy pea. Maybe I really do like more deep fried things that I let on. So, these could also be known as Beignets d'Ananas which do sound very sophisticated. Or 'Old Ladies' Fritters' which really don't. 

Fanny might raise her sharply pencilled eyebrows even higher than expected, but I'm making a few changes to her recipe. One through choice, and one through necessity. Both probably misguided. Fannys' recipe calls for 'preserved Pineapple slices 1/4" thick.' All I can find is dried pineapple which is wafer thin, and really doesn't look like it would cope well in the deep fryer. I do have a wee tin of slices in the cupboard though, which are kind of preserved... In a tin... I wonder if that's actually what she meant? The other change is to the confectioners' custard. Fanny calls for her fail-safe recipe, previously given, but I've been trying different milks lately, and I think making the custard with Coconut milk might just work here. To get it nice and thick, I whip up a batch with powdered custard. The shame of it.

Fanny soaks her pineapple slices in kirsch for a while, but as mine are fresh from the tin, I pop the kirsch in the batter instead. Fanny makes her batter by beating egg yolks until they are pale and fluffy, adding milk, melted butter and brandy. I like her style, but I've already decided to switch in the kirsch. After adding flour and a little salt, the stiffly whipped egg whites are folded in. Voila, fritter batter!

Fanny says to pour the custard over the pineapple slices, and to let it set. This proves quite difficult and I end up just kind of moulding it on top, quite thickly. It might all slide off anyway as there really is nothing on the pineapple for it to cling on to. I give them a quick dusting with rice flour just incase. This is not in Fannys instructions. It's all guess work, this is one of Fannys' recipes that is sparse. I feel she's testing me and I'm determined to pass. I've been at this a year now, surely I can fritter like Fanny?

I only have a tiny wee deep fryer, perfect for those falafel I am so fond of (and obviously rarely used...). It's big enough to take one fritter at a time though, so the custard topped pineapple rings are dunked in the batter and set to sizzle. The batter puffs up really nicely, looking almost like a light tempura batter. Nothing like stodgy. They taste good, and the coconut milk gives a faint boost of tropicality. They are a bit like doughnuts, but counting as one of your five a day. And yes, they do look just like Fannys. Fanny is sure that these fritters would be served up by great chefs, but can't resist a dig at English restauranteurs. According to Fanny, they'd serve them with, horror of horrors, at least gastronomically, caster sugar. Fanny has this to say 'Grrrrr!!' and also notes of course for those that don't know they should be served with lightly sifted icing sugar. Old ladies who like fritters like them to served properly.