makes
15
difficulty
Mid
makes
15
serves
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
Cardamom-pistachio sugar
- 120 g icing sugar
- 50 g ground pistachios
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Fritter batter
- 175 g plain flour
- 1 tbsp dried yeast
- 250 ml warm water
- 75 g thick natural yoghurt
- 2 tbsp saffron liquid
- pinch of sea salt
Fig cream and caramel
- 150 g caster sugar
- 150 ml water
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 150 ml strained orange juice
- 6 large fresh black figs, peeled, cut into wedges
- 1 tsp orange blossom water
- 300 ml pure cream, chilled
- 2 tbsp thick natural yoghurt
Instructions
To make the thick fig caramel, bring the sugar, water and lemon juice to a boil in a small, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the syrup turns to a light caramel. Place the figs into a bowl. Pour over the caramel. Add the orange juice and orange blossom water. Set aside until ready to serve, but don’t refrigerate.
In a small bowl, combine the icing sugar, pistachios and cardamom. Store in an airtight jar until ready to use.
To make the batter, sift the flour into a bowl. Sprinkle on the yeast, then whisk in the warm water and yoghurt to form a batter. Stir in the saffron liquid and salt. Cover and leave to stand for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
Pour vegetable oil into a small, deep, heavy-based saucepan to a depth of 5 cm. Heat the oil to 190ºC. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, the oil will have reached temperature when a blob of batter sizzles up to the surface in a few seconds.
Pour the batter into a piping bag fitted with a narrow nozzle. Pipe the batter into the oil, working from the centre outwards in a spiral. Use the size of the saucepan as the template for your fritter size. Cook for 1–2 minutes, moving the fritter in the hot oil with a slotted spoon so it colours evenly. Once the batter has set, turn it over and cook the other side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Repeat with the remaining batter. Dust the spiced sugar over the fritters.
To serve, lightly whip pure cream with yoghurt until thick. Fold in some of the fig caramel. Spoon the remaining fig caramel into a bowl with an island of floating fig cream. Serve with the fritters.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
