Custard Fritters or Fried Cream

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •18 cm square metal pan
• •Heavy 4 to 5 litre pot
• •Clip-on deep-frying thermometer
• •Three shallow dishes
• •Wire rack set over a sheet pan
• •Thin metal spatula or bench scraper
• •Frying basket for the optional meringue method

Instructions

1. 1

   Chill the frangipan

   Prepare the Frangipan for Fried Cream (No. 2400) according to its own entry, scaling out about 800 g for an 18 cm square pan so it sets close to 2.5 cm thick. Chill it for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, until the slab feels firm from edge to centre and lifts without bending. If it slumps when raised, don't add flour or force the cutting. Ça se rattrape: return it to the refrigerator for another hour, or give it 15 minutes in the freezer, then try again.

   The cream must be cold before cutting and colder still before frying. This is structure, not mere convenience.
2. 2

   Cut clean lozenges

   Turn the cold slab onto a board and wipe a thin knife between cuts. Trim the edges, then divide the cream into 12 neat lozenges about 6 cm long, 3 cm wide, and 2.5 cm thick. Keep the pieces cold while you arrange three shallow dishes containing the flour, the Anglaise (for Egg-and-bread-crumbing) (No. 174), and the fine breadcrumbs.

3. 3

   Bread them twice

   Coat each lozenge lightly in flour and tap away the excess. Immerse it completely in the Anglaise (for Egg-and-bread-crumbing) (No. 174), drain for a moment, then bury it in fine breadcrumbs. Press gently with the flat of a knife so the crumbs adhere without crushing the cream. Dip it into the Anglaise once more and apply a second coat of crumbs. The second coat is not brigade fuss; it is the resisting crust that keeps the cream inside. If you see a bare spot or crack, dab it with Anglaise and press on more crumbs. Chill the breaded pieces for 20 minutes so the coat sets.

4. 4

   Heat fierce fat

   Pour the oil into a heavy pot, leaving at least 8 cm of empty space above it, and heat it to 190°C. The fat must be fierce without smoking. Drop in a pinch of crumbs: they should fizz at once and turn golden within about 20 seconds. If they sink quietly, wait. Timid fat lets the coating drink oil before it can seal.

5. 5

   Fry and serve

   Lower three lozenges into the oil and fry for 90 seconds to 2 minutes, turning once, until evenly deep gold. Keep the oil between 185°C and 190°C and let it recover before each batch. If one coat opens, lift that fritter out immediately, return the remaining pieces to the refrigerator, patch any visible cracks with Anglaise and crumbs, and restore the oil to temperature. The escaped one is the cook's share; dust it and eat it from a small bowl. Drain the intact fritters on a rack, dust generously with icing sugar while warm, and serve at once. À table!

6. 6

   Use the second method

   For the whole-egg version, prepare the Crème à la Vanille, Moulée (No. 2639) according to its own entry, using only whole eggs as this method directs and poaching it in a shallow square vessel that permits clean cutting. Chill completely, cut into 12 pieces, immerse them in the Batter for Oven-glazed Fruit Fritters (No. 234), and fry at 190°C until golden. Drain, dust with icing sugar, then set them beneath a fully heated broiler just until the sugar glazes. Watch without blinking; pale sugar becomes bitter sugar quickly.

7. 7

   Use the third method

   For the filled version, prepare 12 small Ordinary Meringue (No. 2382) according to its own entry and dry them thoroughly. Cut a small lid from each, fill with cold Bavarois, firm ice cream, or fruit salpicon, meaning small diced fruit bound with stewed apricot or plum, then replace the lids. Chill Bavarois or fruit fillings for 1 hour; freeze ice-cream fillings until solid. Quickly coat each meringue with the Anglaise (for Egg-and-bread-crumbing) (No. 174) and fine breadcrumbs, stand them lid-side up in a frying basket, and immerse them in oil at 195°C for only a few seconds, just until gold. Drain, dust with icing sugar, and carry them straight to the table.

Chef Tips

• •Choose one method, not all three for the same dinner. The Frangipan version is the firmest and most manageable at home; the whole-egg custard is more delicate, while the filled meringue demands brisk hands and exact frying heat.
• •Make the breadcrumbs from crustless white bread and pulse them very fine. Large flakes leave gaps around the cream, and a gap becomes a door the moment it meets the fat.
• •Use a thermometer. A crumb test can confirm the heat, but it cannot tell you how far the temperature falls when cold fritters enter the pot. Fry only three at once.
• •Frangipan in this recipe is a firm cooked cream, not almond frangipane. Keep the book's preparation intact; adding ground almonds would change both its texture and its ability to set.
• •Serve with coffee or a small glass of demi-sec Vouvray. No fruit coulis and no decorative greenery are needed. The crisp coat, soft cream, and icing sugar have already finished the plate.

Advance Preparation

• •Prepare and chill the Frangipan for Fried Cream (No. 2400) a day ahead. Keep it covered in its pan and cut it while thoroughly cold.
• •The lozenges may be coated twice à l'anglaise up to 6 hours ahead. Refrigerate them in one layer, uncovered for the first 20 minutes so the crumbs set, then cover loosely.
• •Do not fry the Frangipan or whole-egg custard versions ahead. Their pleasure is the contrast between the newly crisp coat and yielding centre.
• •For the third method, the Ordinary Meringue (No. 2382) may be dried and stored airtight for several days, but fill, coat, and fry it close to serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 380g)