The insider’s guide to foolproof fritters
September 10, 2019Golden and crunchy pan-fried fritters are a firm family (and HelloFresh) favourite. When cooked correctly, they are a delicious way to sneak in veggies for fussy eaters, and can be as light or as filling as you like!
While traditional fritter batter is made with egg, milk, flour and your choice of veggies (zucchini, carrots, corn and sweet potato are some of the most popular), they can also be dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free.
Check out our top tips for cooking the perfect fritter, straight from the HelloFresh kitchen below!
Ingredients do’s and don’ts
- Pick a good egg! The eggs you use need to be small and cold. Larger eggs have more water from the egg white, resulting in wetter batter and sad, soggy fritters. The reason you want a cold egg is because cold liquid helps to slow the development of gluten when liquid and flour are added together, which makes for a better texture!
- Add flour to your wet batter! Large veggies have a high water content (which we know equals soggy fritters). But don’t stress! Adding flour to a wetter batter will give you the thick consistency you want.
- Add crumbled stock cubes for a flavourful kick! Add as little or as much as you like (or none at all), depending on the flavour you want.
Batter up!
A common problem with fritters is that they’re just too soggy! And no one wants that. Raise your batter game by using these tips…
- Salt your grated vegetables for 20-30 minutes prior to draw more water out of the veggies!
- Squeeze the liquid out of your grated ingredients. We recommend using a clean chux, kitchen paper or muslin, and don’t be scared to squeeze firmly! You’ll be surprised how much liquid comes out.
- Don’t overmix the batter! Doing so develops the gluten in the flour, which results in a less desirable texture.
- Let the batter rest in the fridge before cooking. This will let the gluten in the batter relax, making for a nicer texture once cooked.
Cooking 101
- Don’t be scared of oil. Make sure you add enough to the pan, as it will help to give crispiness, good colour and delicious flavour to the fritters.
- Let it sizzle! Your pan needs to be properly heated up before cooking. If the fritter doesn’t sizzle when it hits the pan, you know it’s not ready!
- Don’t overcrowd the pan, as this causes the temperature of the pan to drop, resulting in limp, under-cooked fritters.
Check out some of our customer’s favourite recipes below!